Delectable Paris.

We've all seen pictures of the Eiffel Tower and for me, I've always thought it was a beautiful structure I would never see other than in pictures. Then, there I was. Standing and staring up the most beautiful structure ever. Paris was more than I had ever imagined it to be and It slowly became a reality as I watching Erin's expression. Erin couldn't constrain herself as a smile spread wildly across her face, "Am I the only one freaking out about this?" and though I wasn't jumping up and down, it finally hit. I'm in Paris.

The Paris that knows how to enjoy a meal, the kind where you order wine with every meal to enhance the taste and find yourself lost in conversation with some of your closest and maybe newest friends. Paris is perfect. Perfect for people watching. Perfect place to catch the best deals that only come once a year. Perfect place to see the most beautiful artwork in the world. Perfect place to make new friends. Perfect place to learn a new language.

It's a completely different lifestyle then the one back home, where we are in a constant motion. The motion in Paris is the kind where you take your time enjoying that perfectly flaky croissant with only the most perfect amount of chocolate. The taste still lingers in my mouth thinking about it.

That's Paris, and I'm loving it.

11

Our last night in Paris could not have past any better. The whole group bonded. It was a uncommonly remarkable moment. We owe it all to our little entertainer, he really got the party going. Listening to him play the guitar to songs we all know really set up the vibe for the night. It’s crazy that a group of people who barely knew each other in Chicago have made so many memories together in Europe. I have tons of videos singing and laughing at one another, some of us are defiantly tone deaf haha.

Even though I was sad we were leaving, it was my favorite day spent in Paris. I got to explore the streets of alone which made it more of a soul searching expeirence. I made some friends, I got lost (haha) and I saw some pretty random things. Like a guy in front of the Louvre who was blowing bubbles with these giant strings...so random but cool.

What made the last day so impressive was my solo trip to the Fashion History Museum. It’s a hidden museum inside of the Louvre. IT WAS STUNNING. Some people look at Venus De Milo and tears of passion and love roll down their faces, but when I see a marvelously crafted couture gown, I can’t help it, tears swell up. So I guess it was a good thing I was alone because I was basically blown away by everything.

It was a swamp of designers. You look left and you see Dior, right Gautiller, straight Alexander McQueen and then turn around there’s Balenciaga!! I almost passed out.

When you see renowned clothing with your own eyes it’s completely shocking from when you see it in a magazine or on TV. Everything instantly becomes more real and you start thinking about all the work individuals put into crafting. Hours and hours of drawing, measuring, choosing colors, sewing...thank god I only have to write about it.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that I truly admire the creative people in the world. Which brings me to my other favorite moment of the trip. When a small group of our group went to the fashion brand 11 Colors and talked to the director of menswear Golnaz Adham Khazei. She was awesome. Everything about her was unique. It would be hard to find a designer like her in Chicago. I’m going to write my feature story on her because her journey into the fashion world and where she is now is quite astounding. I’ll give you a little sneak peak: She started out at one of Europe’s top house designers and interned with him for 1 year and left that job (which millions of girls would have killed for) and got offered a position created just for her at the clothing line she is at now, 11.

How impressive is that?! They literally created a position just for her. Well I could talk about fashion for hours so I’ll leave it rest until my feature story :) Stayyyyy tuned!!

Lost and Found in Translation

A non-French speaker in Paris is like a fish out of water that can order a crepe but will get the death stare while doing it.

Tu comprends?

That’s why, when I heard there would be a translator going with us to the market on Sunday, I jumped at the opportunity to get some good investigative work done. Coralie, our translator, transcends the limits of being, not only a Parisian, but a kind and thoughtful human being as well.

La crème de la crème.

Anyway, she accompanied us to the flea market at Porte de la Chapelle, the northernmost stop on the 12 metro line in Paris; not necessarily the most glamorous market, but one that would end up yielding a story with depth and humanity.

“Out of the flea market,” you say?

Mais bien sur.

However, in the process of attempting to dig up a story, I discovered what most journalists trying to do their job probably discover at one point or another…

It’s just not as easy as you hope it’s going to be.

First of all, I wanted to get some nice b-roll of the market without having to ask every single vendor if

1. they spoke English
2. it would be okay if I, a student from the United States, filmed their goods
3. it was okay that I was using the film for some larger purpose

So, I took the short cut and filmed whatever I wanted without consent. This resulted in vendors telling me not to film after I had already gotten the film I wanted and, in one instance, an artist almost physically accosting me after I had shot some of his art without his consent.

Is this appropriate? Is this the way it should be done?

I’m not sure. I think that’s the whole point. There is all this gray that we, as journalists, must constantly navigate. I didn’t feel completely comfortable shooting that artist’s work without asking him, but there is another part of me that is trained to think, “Shoot first; ask questions later.” And still another part of me that knew I had no intention of stealing his work; but rather which wanted to make art out of his art-to give his art more exposure than perhaps it would have ever received without my filming it.

This sounds presumptuous. It is presumptuous. At the same time, I don’t really know any other behavior.

Without trying to be too romantic, I think this is the American way. A shared experience-An artist who recognizes another artist. Uncertainty, exploitation. Trying hard to be better than you are. To be better than we all are as human beings.

Whether French or otherwise.

Understanding Paris

For me, learning to navigate Paris means more than understanding the metro system; it means knowing when to smile at a stranger (after they smile at you), where it's cheaper to buy an espresso (standing at the bar, not sitting down at a table), and knowing not to make eye contact with street vendors ( five Euros for a yarn bracelet!?!).

Having spent a few days here, I realize, beyond my luggage, I brought a lot of baggage to Paris. Like many Americans, I grew up with the unfortunate experience of learning about France from television. It turns out Pepé Le Pew and Inspector Clouseau were terrible examples of French culture.

I am happy to have had my preconceptions of France melted by the warmth of the Parisians I've met. The myth of French rudeness is exactly that, a myth.

From shopkeepers to strangers in the laundromat , the Parisians I talked to were more than willing to put up with my limited French. I may be in the running for a world record on how many times a person can say "Parlez-vous Anglais?" in one day.

The hospitality I've been shown by the French speaks to some universally human ideals. Average people, regardless of nationality, want to lead happy lives and this includes helping strangers. Why would France be any different? Perhaps America's history with France as long-time international allies has helped foster the amicable relationship we still share. Whatever the reason, my time in Paris has reinforced the idea that I should not stereotype a culture.

As the French existential philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre said "Man is fully responsible for his nature and his choices."

It would do an international traveler well to remember those words. We can choose to be open-minded and accepting of other cultures and especially of other people, or we can remain stubborn. It's our choice, but I'll opt for the former.

Race is a taboo word!

I find it so funny and sad that when I hear about France’s color blind policy I feel so confused about the idea that people here claim not to be racist towards anyone regardless of their color or race. It is so hard for me to think that something like that is possible and it can be because I might be ignorant or the fact that I live in a country where my family and me are minorities. In all the briefings we have gone to they talk about this color blind policy and how in France there is no such thing as minorities or ethnic groups and it is illegal to ask about your race and such words are taboo. But I find that they contradict themselves because then there is this whole issue about banning the burqa (even though they argue that that policy has nothing to do with racism but more about laicité). And then the speaker from the Arab World Institute, Phillipe Cardinal, said that the media does not portray Arabs as professionals. So I don’t know if I’m just being too close minded and that in fact France is a country where racism does not exist or France just doesn’t want to admit that in their “perfect” country there is racism and minorities just have not realized it. I don’t know but it’s all a bit confusing to me. On a different topic I can’t believe our last day in Paris is tomorrow this week has just flown by!!! Oh and I had one of those famous Fallafels everyone was talking about…one word DELICIOUS!!!

Gallery Layfette....every fashionistas dream

SHOPPING!! :) Being down by the Opera today was amazing. There were so many iconic designers. Yes, we have all them in Chicago but they were displayed so well in the departments and they were all in one area. Something that I thought was unique was the architect in the Gallery Lafayette. It’s not just a shopping mall, it’s an historical landmark. When you go shopping you don’t just look at the clothes you look at the building. I think that’s what I’m going to do my multimedia piece on. Comparing Chicago shopping experience to Paris shopping experience. They’re so different. I’ve been having trouble focusing on what to do my projects on. It seems like everyones already started a project and I’m behind.

Everyone from Chicago knows of the magnificent mile but it doesn't even come close to Gallery Lafayette. For everyone who is a die hard fashion lover....like myself they have to come to Paris. This is the birthplace of top designers like Chanel, Dior, Galliamo and so much more. You could spend days in the shopping center and still miss things. Being in Paris has made my love for fashion stronger. They have the latest styles and the best seamstresses in the world. I can't wait to talk to some fashion experts. I have so many questions. Like why Paris? Why are so many of the popular name designers from Paris? It's quite amazing that they have so many.

But now I am just ramboling and I am exhausted and sick... :(

But it’s been a super long day and all I can think about is sleep. ZZZZZ....

Picture Perfect Paris

*I can't upload any pictures from my camera because I forgot my cord at home, so if anybody has an SD card reader please let me know! Pictures are from my phone, excuse the quality.

Paris in Fast Forward

Can someone help me find the pause button, s'il vous plait?

I want to remember what rue Cler looked like the first night we arrived, rainy and glowing in the dark with blue lights hanging above the people tucked away in cozy cafes. I want to remember the first time I bought lunch at a bakery and had to use my awful French for the first time. I want to remember all the little French school children getting out of school down the street and the cute men who work at the poissonnerie across the street from the hotel, but it feels like this trip keeps speeding right past me.

Our hotel is located on one of the most perfect and picturesque streets in Paris, rue Cler. You can't get more French than this -- everything from wine shops to flower shops line this little charming street located in the 7th arrondissement, or district.

The best part of being on this street is people watching and eavesdropping. (Journalists are inherently nosey.) The people are so French here! You see people going to the fromagerie (cheese shop), people carrying baguettes, old French gentlemen carrying bouquets of flowers, little school children excitedly talking as they buy macarons on the way home from school. It feels like an old French movie, if only I could find the pause button.

Being on this street helped me understand the French way of life more clearly. The French seem much more social, even affectionate, towards each other than Americans are towards each other. Restaurants are filled every night of the week with groups or couples and people are always quietly talking in cafes over espressos. Even grocery shopping is very social. Since shopping happens every day (French people prefer fresh food), people see each other regularly and talk often. And I thought I was close to the deli man at Jewel-Osco.

I'm just starting to become a regular at Artisan Boulanger Patissier (cheap sandwiches when you're in a hurry), but we're already leaving in a few days. Where has the time gone?