Ok, back to posting. Yesterday was a bit of a hectic, but really amazing day. Didn't get to write much because I had to prepare for my 10 minute oral presentation for today, which was supposed to be on Friday and was moved up on Monday. I pretty much always dislike going first and try to avoid it, but being forced to was good for one reason: I don't have to worry about it for the rest of the month.
Anyways, yesterday we started out at an old Roman 1st century amphitheatre ruin. Thankfully it was the same place I went to sit on my own before class started, so I didn't have trouble getting there. We have a lecture there and then moved to the Roman baths and checking out the Rue Saint Jacques, and other old original streets. We didn't get to go into the Roman baths, so I have to put that on my checklist, but we did get to go into the archaeological crypt of Notre Dame, which were as unbelievable as I remembered them to be from when I was ten. I can tell I'm officially an art history dork, because even the smell of the old stones was exciting! I have also come to realize that I totally love the miniature models of famous places like the ones architects build. Hmm, put that into my job search criteria. :) After a lecture in the crypt we had a student presentation and another lecture on Notre Dame, and specifically the facade of the church. It was pretty unreal. I felt like I was just looking at a REALLY BIG textbook illustration of what we were studying. I'm still not able to conceptualize that these sites are the real thing. After class ended, we all went into the church and gaped and then I went back to do work and we went shopping for groceries.
Today was seriously amazing too! I can't believe the breadth of famous, amazing, historical monuments in this city. Imagine what it would be like to grow up in the same city as Notre Dame, St. Denis, St. Chapelle, the Louvre, etc. Like, say what?!?! Sorry, off topic...
We went to St. Denis first thing this morning. It was incredible. We all traveled the metro with the french grad student helping with the class, and we were looking around for the basilica as we exited from the subway. Suddenly, we turn one corner, and BAM. Oh my, there's a ridiculously famous church where like half of France's kings are buried. No big deal. Haha. It was as inspiring as when I learned about it in class. It's so easy to just expect a Medieval Benedictine monk to walk out at any minute.
My presentation was on the choir of St. Denis, and I was the first of three today. It didn't go all that well, but I guess I didn't do terribly either. Oh well. We didn't finished with lecture and presentations until about 12:30, and we were all pretty tired. I had planned on staying after for a little while to sit and sketch out parts of the church, because I want scenes to be able to include in my animation portfolio for this internship with Disney I've been looking at, but my professor already had something planned we had to leave for.
My professor bought us tickets for a boat ride on the Seine for the afternoon, and left us to sit and relax on the boat. It was fun, but I could hardly stay awake! After, I went back to nap and a few of us went shopping (I'm in the mall next to us everyday for another thing I forgot or don't have!) and I picked up a cell phone. My phone card was a number on a my receipt, and since no one really speaks French, I'll have to ask the grad student tomorrow how to set it up on the phone. Not that I mind, because he's really cute and very sweet! Hehe...
Ok, well, that'll have kept you reading for a while so I'll stop. Had a three hour dinner tonight and came back to the room to read my assignment for tomorrow. Now going to write on today's prompt. This is the most I've written or drawn or thought in over a month, and I must admit, it feels really good!
Off to the Museum of the Middle Ages and Sorbonne tomorrow! Given the last two days, will probably be a blast! Good night everyone!
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