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!

Sunday Funday: Parisian Style

This afternoon, Paris took "Sunday-Funday" to a whole new level! Waking up to an *unusually* sunny, warm, and beautiful (weather-wise) Paris, we took our fun outside today, enjoying this festival and the (also free) Petite Palais across the Seine.

A new friend from school, Kathleen, heard of an art exposition/festival taking place on the lawn at Les Invalides. I am learning quickly...Paris is one large and rotating art exposition. I accidently stumble upon one daily. Though a bit confused on the details, we understood this one to be a "playground for all ages." NATURALLY, we went with out further questioning. There were many "avant-garde" expositions set up on the perfectly manicured lawn, but my favorite (shown below) was this free, public, Stonehenge-replica MOON BOUNCE! And yes, thats the Eiffel Tour on the top of my head.

More than family, fall, afternoon fun alone--this "moon-bounce" had a larger purpose. In reference to this installation, the artist described that his purpose in creation was to challenge the untouchable and sacred qualities in ancient places, such as Stonehenge. He surely accomplished that and more, as we, in the happy company of generations of families and hundreds of others, ran, chased, round-house-kicked, belly flopped, and enjoyed every inch of inflatable-stonehenge today. 

Paris has a beautiful way of making a huge city feel like a small town--bringing together a community with FREE events full of art and culture, ideal for all ages.

"Tu fais quoi maintenant?"

"What is it you do, now?" or "Tu fais quoi maintenant?" have been repeated questions (in English and in French) regarding my life as of late. For my response: I'll blog. And just for kicks, here's where I am blogging from, right on MY STREET, facing "Café Delmas," a favorite café of Hemingway, frequently mentioned in his book, A Moveable Feast.

(click on all the pictures to make larger!)

Alas, my days of globe-trotting and seemingly endless summer have now come to an end. Though it may sound bizarre to those of my friends inundated with medschool studies, gradschool, etc. I am very happy and eager to begin school and enter into a more structured life here in Paris. Moreover, through this recent involvement with Rotary, I am refreshingly reminded that I am not alone in this adventure, but instead supported by and propelled to action here in France through Rotary International.

As a timely punctuation mark for this new phase of Ma Vie Parisienne, the Rotary-Scholars to France welcome weekend took place two weekends ago in Paris. Joining 16 other scholars assigned to France and Morocco, we enjoyed a great weekend of dinners, speakers, general orientation, and a final grand soirée as our formal welcome to France from Rotary International. Similar to most everything the Rotary does--it was a top-notch weekend, with informational speakers, friendly people, beautiful meals, and a humbling welcome to us as "ambassadors of goodwill."

Rotary Scholars to Francophone countries, France and Morocco  

@ Auberge de Jeunesse, Opéra

Rotary Scholars before our grand Rotary soirée meal and program

@ Novotel, Gare de Lyon  

A major highlight included meeting the other France-scholars, and bonding across many cultures and origins.

Rotary Scholars from the United States and Italy- we 3 are assigned to Paris!

@ Seine Cruise with Scholars

 Thus, for those of you who have asked, puzzled over my ostensively endless traveling around euroland  (consider this a personal shout out to you, Madison McMahan!) May you rest assured, I have returned to glimpses of my life back in the States--now happily grounded by school and motivated for community involvement via my support and affiliation with Rotary Club- Paris la Défense.

Le Blog Proveçal- Pt. 2: Cassis

After Emily finished her classes for the day- we left on our hiking adventure to Cassis (click here!), a petite ville on the Mediterranean Coast, east of Marseilles. Though I have been near, I had never gone to Cassis before. It won't be my last time!

We set off to hike the famous Cassis calanques (click here!), essentially limstone inlets lining the Mediterranean coast. Though the buses ran a bit later than expected and we didn't get all of the hiking in we wanted to, Cassis was a tropical paradise- I felt 1,000s of miles away from Ma Vie Parisienne-much like a vacation within a vacation within a vacation.. You get it, there was a lot of good going on:

Vineyard beyond vineyard...

Palm Trees welcoming us to Cassis

"WELL DRESSED REQUIRED" beach town problems, I suppose

Port de Cassis (no, I promise this isn't a calender or post card pic)

Naturally, a castle overlooking the port

Excuse the hiking clothes!

Nothing washes down paradise like SPECULOOS (my newfound love thanks to the Vandy house) gelato 

cafe au port

... Don't know how I ever left this spot

tour guide Emmy

It's a hard life, but someone's gotta have it.

So thankful for Emily for hosting me, touring me, and generally entertaining me with much laughter in the South. What a week!

Le Blog Provençal- Pt. 1: Aix

With one more week until my courses begin here in Paris, pourquoi pas take a trip down South and warm my bones in preparation for the Parisian winter? Having an apartment found, a bank account set-up, a French cell-phone, and many daily-life details taken care of--I found every excuse to take off to the South before my Rotary Welcome Weekend and school begins.

Thus, what in seemed like minutes I was on a train (student fares here RULE!) and arrived to a drastically different vibe and situation--departing a busy Paris in a cold drizzle and greeted in Aix with warmth, sunshine, and people with ample time. It seemed as though I left New York and in 3 hours arrived in California..Oh, the magic of France continues.

Luckily for me, another dear friend from home- Emily (PTHS is very well-represented in Europe this year, I'd say!) is living in Aix-en-Provence this semester through Vanderbilt's program "Vandy in Aix." She studies and lives in a gorgeous house with 3 other Vandy students, a house which I quickly crashed, feigning that I was still in college, attending Vandy, etc. 

With Emily, after our first café in (sunny!) Aix

A glimpse of le Maison de Vanderbilt

It had been 4 years since I was in the South of France, and Aix--and, wow, what a beautiful place. Being back in Aix reminded me of wonderful times with my friend Martha and also my program through Millsaps in Nice. Coming from 3 weeks in Paris, I was quick to notice all of the differences in prices, language, attitudes, foods, geography. 

Aix is known for its numerous and beautiful fountains- the main street, Rue Mirabeau (shown here) is flawless--lined with the trees and full of fountains

"Cat Juggler" on the street

With Cezanne, his presence endures throughout the region, but most especially in Aix (near his studio!)

Fountains, continued (also, LOVED THE BLUE SKIES!)

Vin Provençal

Em and Me, in front of yet another fountain (de 4 dolphins)

Street near the Vandy House

Les Deux Garçons, hangout of Cézanne, Zola, Picasso, Pagnol, Piaf !

Aix was even more beautiful than I remembered! It was great to catch up, laugh with, and see Emily. I imagine many more visits to Aix to see Emily and her great roommates before her time there is over!