Rotaract Saint-Cloud

The past few months have been busy in Rotary and Rotaract events- namely, I am a new member of and international correspondent for the Rotaract Club de Saint Cloud, a (beautiful) suburb just outside of Paris!

This is my first time as a member of a Rotaract club; I already love it! We have monthly service opportunities at a Retirement home, help students with their Bac(high school exam), and help plan in Rotaract events like the Week-end de Coordination National, which took place last weekend. This spring, we are in the middle of planning many activities including an exchange in April with a Rotaract club in Monastir, Tunisia! I cannot wait!

Below you can find the video put together by our club, welcoming the other Rotaract Clubs throughout France to the reunion this past weekend. Like any organization, the people make the club worthwhile, and I couldn't have found a better club and group of poeple to call friends here in Paris! With this many energetic, caring people- we are truly enjoying the power and efficiency of service in numbers!

CLICK BELOW!

Rotaract Saint Cloud- Week-end de Coordination National Video

Holidays in Review

Bonjour mes amis!

With the busy holidays now over (admittedly I MAAYYYBE I stretched them out a bit, as it is now February) I realize it is impossible to recount all of the adventures of the past few weeks...

Not to sacrifice the good for the perfect: you can find my best attempt at a photo summary of this past holiday season- my mothers visit, my sister's prolonged stay (and our adventures in the UK and The Netherlands), and of course Christmas in Paris! This holiday was so much fun- I loved showing my family the city I love so much, listening to them butcher the language (ha! :) ) and spending the most amount of time with my sister since I visited her two years ago in India. I feel very fortunate to have such a fun-loving, tight-knit family to enjoy the holidays (and each-other) with every year. Moving to a different country this year has ironically reminded me of my roots- and that the importance and love of family could never be impeded by distance or time.

And may this serve as a happy (much belated) holidays to all of you near and far!

Midnight in Paris stairs

Notre Dame Christmas Morning Mass

Stockings following us around the world!

Moulin Rouge

Moulin Rouge

Road Trip to the Beaches of Normandy

American Cemetery- Normandy Beaches

Loved walking/biking the streets with these two!

Grand Palais

Greer's first welcome to Holland- BIKES!

Delft, The Netherlands

Handel Concert in Saint Sulpice

Could there be ANYTHING better to put you in the Christmas spirit? I think not! Loved hearing Handel's Messiah in full concert last week inside Saint Sulpice...one of my favorite spots very close to my school. I had chillbumps throughout!

ROTARY GLOBAL PEACE FORUM BERLIN

In front of the famous Brandenburg Gate in Berlin

Wow, what a weekend!

Many of my thoughts are still resonating from the conference and experiences in Berlin this past weekend; there was much to take in!

A highlight of the weekend was the night we arrived. We were fortunate to attend the Franco-Allemagne Soirée hosted by the my host district in Paris, District 1660. It was amazing! Held in the well-known "Checkpoint Charlie" Museum of the Berlin Wall, it was closed to the public at that hour--but open to us for the party. Though there were many Rotarians to meet and talk with, we did our best to meander through the exhibits of the museum, rich in a fascinating history. This party, for French and German Rotary clubs, epitomized Rotary's spirit of generosity, and cultural understanding--both in casual conversation and in location and purpose.

It was a lot of fun to realize how many French Rotarians I have been able to meet and connect to these past few months in Paris! We recognized and talked with Rotarians from clubs all over Paris.

Another highlight of the weekend included meeting young Parisians who were apart of the Rotary Youth Exchange programs- all over the world. One girl had attended high-school in the United States through Rotary in Oregon- and LOVED it! Though not on the same scholarship as Allysan and me, they too have experienced the wonders of going abroad with Rotary; we had many things to share. Can't wait to meet up with them in Paris again in the near future. (pic coming soon!)

The conferences were informative, vast, and varied.. all held at this beautiful hotel right in the heart of Berlin: (see the Rotary flags!) The vibe in and in between events was very inspired and inspiring!

Global Peace Forum Hotel in Berlin - Berlin Maritim ProArte

As mentioned before the Rotary International President,  Sakuji Tanaka was present and gave closing remarks, after the powerful closing and "Berlin Declaration on Peace." Some of our other favorite sessions included ones in which an Australian Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar spoke on Peace in new generations, and also a great session on "the Value of Freedom and Democracy for Peace."

 I rest assured knowing through the positive interactions, conferences, and ideas spread in meetings such as this one- the world becomes a better informed, and thus, better place. Never before have I better grasped the depth of Rotary, being a truly international organization. There were countless countries represented, and beautifully working and contributing together.

On top of it all, we had time to tour Berlin and get to know the city with its fascinating history. It COULDN'T have looked/felt/smelled/tasted more different than Paris! Oh, and did I mention- it snowed?!

On TOP of the Reichstag (German house of Parliament)

Touring the famous glass dome on top of the Reichstag (below you can see the seats of the Parliamentarians!)

Brandenburg Gate in the Snow/Christmas Show

The evidence of the Wall dividing the city

Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe

A very special shout out to our wonderful host, Gabrielle (far right) a dear friend for hosting us this weekend and showing us some of Berlin--here, at a wonderful, traditional German Christmas market!

Now, in mirroring the closing of the forum in Berlin--it's onto the next Forum in Honolulu, Hawaii! How I wish I could attend that one, too! American Rotarians reading this, don't miss out! 

Also, Rotary is looking forward to the next 104th Rotary International Convention in Lisbon, Portugal in June 2013! 

A SURPRISE! Rotary Global Peace Forum in Berlin

Last week my good friend Allysan and I attended a soirée thrown by the Rotaract Club of St. Cloud, a suburb outside of Paris. We were happy to be invited, as we are planing on joining in on the projects of this club through out our year here.

Little did we know walking into the party that we would walk out with an invitation and Rotary-Sponsored flight to Berlin the following weekend- for THE Rotary Global Peace Forum in Europe(!)

Yes, it's as cool as it sounds (click below!):

Rotary Global Peace Forum in Berlin

To understand my excitement, watch this video about the forum:

Global Peace Forum from Rotary International on Vimeo.

Essentially, Allysan and I talked to all the right people, and with typical Rotary generosity- the District Governor of the Paris Rotary Clubs offered to pay our way to Berlin! What an opportunity! The Rotary International President will be in attendance, and the theme is, "Peace with out Borders." We can't wait to be there (neither of us have ever been to Germany)! Even more, we have been invited to a Franco-Allemagne Soirée at the Museum of the Berlin wall... a party thrown by the Rotary District 1660 (of Paris) to foster relationships with the German clubs! (see flyer below):

With our flight leaving tomorrow morning at 6 am, I must start packing! Rest-assured, a follow up blog about The Rotary Peace Forum will drop next week!

Cheers to Rotary, the world over!

Les Nymphéas de Claude Monet

Today was magic. I woke up in the Netherlands, spent the afternoon at the Orangerie, and night-capped with a spoken word open mic at Le Chat Noir Café. And though I have Thanksgiving and other more obvious things yet to blog--this couldn't wait. No words or paintings have simultaneously struck me quite like these today- upon seeing Monet's Waterliles for the first time.

According to the pamphlet at the Orangerie, when Monet donated The Water Lilies to France right after the First World War, Monet wanted to give Parisians a place to "contemplate the infinite" before painted nature (jaw drop #1). In fact, before you walk into the Orangerie's oval rooms where the water lilies are housed, there is an all-white "anti-room" designed by Monet as a "decompression space" between the city life and his work. With out proceeding any further, I was under the impression (ba dum chink?) I may have found my favorite Parisian museum.

In 1909, when Monet started to mature his "Water Lilies" project, he wrote:

"Les nerfs surmenés par le travail se seraient détendus là, selon l'example reposant de ces eaux stagnantes, et, à qui l'eut habitée, cette pièce aurait offert l'asile d'une méditation paisible au centre d'un aquarium fleuri..."

Ou, En anglais: (read this slowly, it's worth it)

"Nerves overwrought by work would relax here just like the relaxing example of those stagnant waters, and for whomever inhabited it, this room would offer asylum for peaceful meditation amidst a flowery aquarium..."

The "RELAXING EXAMPLE OF THOSE STAGNANT WATERS." What a mantra guiding me into those rooms (and beyond)! I took in not only the beautiful lilies and trees, but also took note of the beautiful EXAMPLE of the stagnant, reflecting water, providing the inspiration and hope that we too can find similar stillness amongst our ever-changing lives. These paintings, on all sides of me (understand just how appropriate the "flowery aquarium" line becomes?) were purposefully painted with out the horizon, and with out formal perspective - and in so doing, gave to me impressions of the infinite.

I am so genuinely inspired by what I saw today. If nothing else proves it, it is 2:30am and I couldn't imagine sleeping with out hashing this out. What a genius Monet was, to not only paint something genius, but also to realize his own genius while alive and creating. Through his obvious self-knowledge, his words, and his careful presentation, he made accessible his art to all. The Water Lilies silently tell an eternal story beautifully shown to millions, and now to me. By "example" of that "stagnant water" surrounding the lilies, the perspective, the changing light, and the colorful seasons I have today seen, and thus better understood that which is infinite, eternal, approachable, and peaceful. Moreover, I have taken with me the natural examples of stillness, meditation, and peace.

Maybe I should have left it to my favorite Romantic Poet to say what I have felt today, all along:

"Beauty is truth, truth beauty," - that is all 
        Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know." - John Keats, 1819 "Ode on a Grecian Urn"

*No photography is permitted at the Musée de L'Orangerie; these are stock photos

L'élection Présidentielle Américaine

Don't write me off as a negligent blogger, yet! For my recent lack of blogs, I am sorry- but the wait is over! Many jam-packed blogs are headed your way this week. I realize the more my life normalizes here, the less I feel the urge to blog--a good sentiment with negative implications.

Alors, I was invited last-minute by a friend from school to intend an election party for the U.S. elections. As a side note, the French are very interested in American politics and are often surprisingly, even intimidatingly well-informed. Moreover, not understanding the nuanced taboo in American culture--frequently, I have been asked personal political questions- with a political abruptness not existing in the US. Feeling a little under-the-weather I intended to watch a few results come in--call it a night--and wake up for the final results. 

The rest is history (quite literally.) I ended up staying out all night (in French, une nuit blanche) hearing EVERY state's results (sans Florida) with expats and self-proclaimed "concerned" French people alike. This wasn't your typical house party, folks. A young American political organization of Paris organized the party at a swank Parisian night club not far from the Champs-Elyssées.  With complementary champagne, chandeliers, tv-projection screens in all directions, and a well informed DJ alternating between house music and CNN "Wolf Blitzer Reports," (an impressive task to say the least)... I can think of no better way to celebrate democracy.

                   CLICK TO ENLARGE PHOTOS:

"Election Night in America" ...in France 

cue: Michael Jackson, Kanye West, oh and Wolf Blitzer

please excuse my smart-phone photography! 

Below are photos my new friend and talented photographer, William Lounsbury took of the evening (I was limited to cell-phone photos.) Click Here for a link to his website, and Here for his beautiful blog: William Lounsbury, a visual story teller. Check him out, I really appreciate him letting me use his photos from the event! Thanks, Will!

                                      my candid cheers to democracy!

                                     (easiest all nighter I've pulled since my last Biochem final)

    

 A bit of our watch-crew (clearly in the early am)

   

Want to get the young vote out, America? Let young Americans watch the results roll in at 3 am, with house music intermittently muted to announce a state's results. The DJ did an excellent job letting us dance through the cable news time-fillers and hit us with both the hits, and the results. Did I mention they served breakfast croissants around 5am?!

And lastly, for the real patriots, some of us lasted well past the announcement of Obama's re-elction (at 5am I might add)! We decided to "crash" the more expensive (80eu/head) version of our party, hosted by the same organization, right off the Champs. Though, at 8am, the older crowd had indeed died down, we were able to watch the concession and acceptance speeches with a small group of fellow bloodshot-eyed but democracy-energized patriots from all over the world. 

Democracy wins as we march the Champs-Elysées (taken at approximately 8am)!  A bit bizarre walking with the party crashin' crew by Parisians heading to work, starting their mornings at a café, etc 

For the countless things that don't go well with politics- I've found the exception: clubbing.

                               

**As a Rotary Scholar, representing the disparate political opinions of the thousands of wonderful men and women of Rotary is impossible. That is not my intent in my time in France nor through this post. I hope, rather, to recount an amazing historical event and ex-pat experience of being 4,000+ miles removed from a major Presidential election in my home country. After all, my next move is DC!