My Day In Honfleur

So today one of my co-workers, Laurent, brought me to such a beautiful town called Honfleur, I didn't get to take pictures of the town, unfortunately, but I have tons from the Naturospace, which is a man made jungle with butterflies!!!

Here they are!

Um, Image Dump!

Bahh, I'm still really lonely here in France, but my boss said she would take me to a D-Day museum next weekend, and Judith (another girl who's in France, but is from NB) are going to go see another one soon!

Anyways, not too much to report, but here's all the images I took in Paris!

I'm pretty sure that this is the overview of Montreal, 'cause Paris is like a million times this size. ._.

Just the sign outside of the O-really airport. :P

A cute building in Paris.

Another awesome building, but almost all of them are just as nice!

Once again, nice architecture!

That place, I think is called Les Invalides!

It's hard to see, but it's a bunch of people on Segways!

More nice stuff.

Oh wait, this is Les Invalides!

La Seine!

A bridge that goes over La Seine.

A nice statue!

Another one ^^

The Eiffel tower from far off.

The Eiffel tower from underneath!

Same thing!

That is actually a man!!!!

This is the view from my bedroom window!

The church near my house!

The dinoooo!

Getting Used To The Groove Of Things

Today, is my first real day of work at the Paleospace.
It's not too bad the people here are nice at least, or as they would say "Sympa", I can't really say the same about people my age because they're not so nice, they don't really want anything to do with me. Plus they never understand what I am saying and they think they're better than I am, because their French is superior...and yet I still don't understand 90% of what comes out of their mouth. The teenagers sound like they talk a completely different language. I can't keep up. @_@

But for my first day of work it's pretty slack. I'm re-doing all of their brochures, and it's pretty fun, because they left it up to me completely. I've re-done at least 6 different covers for them to choose from, and then I will do all of the rest of the brochure according to the style they decide upon!

There's another girl, who also is having a hard time adjusting to life in France (She also got sent here by the SNA and agrees that they're very disorganized!) and we're planning a day out to go visit some D-Day museums in some of the neighbor towns! I'm super excited because I will actually have someone to do something with! Plus I get to see something that has meaning to me, considering Pepere was here during WWII! I'm super stoked!

I will upload all the images I took in Paris soon!

I don't have much else to report, today has been a slow day.
Just working away. :) :P


Thursday July 5th, 2012
Listening to: Nothing!
Drinking: This weird Lemonade Soda.
Feeling: Hungrrryyyyy. <.<'

France Is Shit

Today I have had the worst day of my life. I fucking hate Europe and I hate France. 

I landed in Paris at 8:40 AM, and I hardly got any sleep during the flight. Not because it was a bad flight, because it was actually not too bad, but I just find it hard to sleep in a plane. So, I started my day with no sleep and when I landed, I had to ask around to see how I was going to get to my destination, which was La Gare Saint-Lazare. I asked the woman at the info booth and she told me to take a bus to les Invalides, and to take the metro from there to La Gare Saint-Lazare. So I take the bus, which costs me 12 Euros, and it took about 20 or 30 minutes of driving through the city, which is ginormous! until it brought me to les Invalides. But by this time I had been teased by the sight of the Eiffel tower in the distance, so when I arrived at the Invalides, I automatically started walking towards the eiffel tower. About half way through the trip there I had already wished I hadn't decided to go. For one, it was much further than I expected, and dragging a 100 pound suitcase around in scorching heat didn't help. But to make things worse, this piece of crap suitcase started falling apart, first one set of wheels started getting all crooked, and then the second pair used themselves out completely. So by the time I got to the eiffel tower I was tired and pissed off. The I had to walk back, and that was an even bigger problem because I couldn't find my way back! So of course being tired, pissed off and lost I started crying. I kept asking people on the street for help, until I met this one lady, who wasn't from Paris, but had a good enough idea that she helped me out. She took out her map, and pointed out the directions for me, and then she actually just brought me to where I wanted to go. She even gave me a bottle of water, and all that time I was trying to find somewhere to buy something to drink. We walked and we talked and she told me she was from Argentina! and that she had been in Nice this weekend for work, and was heading home tonight. When we finally arrived, I thanked her warmly and even gave her a hug. I feel very grateful that this woman came along, I felt for a moment she was a guardian angel, even though those don't exist. Then when I went down into the metro to buy my ticket to get to the gare. When I get there, for some reason, you can only pay through electronic booths, so I go up to the machine, put this good-for-nothing Visa card in and OF COURSE it doesn't work. So I asked the dude, if I gave him $5 dollars if he would just give me the 1,98 euros that it cost to take the metro, but he didn't even know what currency I was holding in my hand. So of course I started crying again, and so he gave me some pass to go somewhere else and see if they'd take my visa. But I couldn't find the place, and I was bawling my eyes out, so I asked a lady if she knew where to buy the tickets, and she just gave me one of her own and told me not to cry. Thank you lady, you really helped me out.

I finnnnaaallly get to La-Fucking-Gare-Fucking-Saint-Lazare, and so I wait in line for my ticket for 30 minutes, and as I go to pay…that good-for-nothing card fails on me again! So this time, I really get worked up and I ask if they have wifi so I can try and contact my "boss". She says yes at the upstairs Starbucks, so I go up there and I'm still bawling and I ask if they have wifi, and the guy automatically gets worried and asks me what's wrong. So he's like, well come with me, I'll figure something out for you! So we walk around and he tells me to just take the train without paying, and in this time he buys me a frappacino and his friends come to see what's up. He explains to them what's the issue, and his friend then goes out of his way for some random chick who's lost in Paris, and bought me my train ticket. If I could tell you how much I really appreciate what you've done for me, but I can't because I don't even know their names. But I think they knew how grateful I really was. One day, if ever you're in Canada and you need help, you know who to come to! Anywho, now I'm sitting here, still crying 'cause I'm just so tired and stressed out, and I just want to be where I have to go. But my train only leaves in an hour. I hope I don't have to pee, 'cause it costs ,50 euros to pee, like wtf. And I already begged an older woman for change, and don't want to do it again!

Now my eyes hurt from crying, my feet are blistered and bruised, from walking in this little shoe things I bought and running over my foot with my luggage. My arms are dead from pulling it around, and I'm just so tired I could pass out where I am sitting right now!

Will this day ever end?

I fucking should of stayed home, fuck Europe.

I'm done ranting for now. I'm gonna go try and feed myself for the first time today.

Pictures to Come!!!

Tuesday July 3rd, 2012

3:40 PM (Wow, come to realize all this shit happened to me, and none of you are even up yet…)

Listening: To all the noise in the train station

Drinking: Nothing

Feeling: Like shit

I'm Leaving On A Jet Plane!

Today is the day!
I can't believe it's finally here!

Memere and I made the trip to the Pierre-Elliot Trudeau Airport in Dorval, by bus and metro. Thankfully when we were on our bus that was supposed to bring us directly to the airport, Memere asked the driver if he actually did go all the way, and he didn't so we transfered buses. We arrived at the airport, only to realize my luggage is busting, and I can't even unzip it, or well when I do, I won't be able to zip it again. So I will be stuck spending some of my money on new luggage once I am in France. D': What a bummer.
I just hope the zippers wont give out while I'm still in Paris >.<'
Wish me luck!

Anywho, this airport is huuuuugeeee. And of course my gate was on the complete other side of the airport, but I am now sitting near my gate and I am waiting impatiently for them to start boarding us in! I can even see the plane from where I am sitting!! It's blue ^^
I bought some gum, so I should be ready for when my ears feel like popping out of my head!

I was lucky that the men let me take my carry-on, it weighs 4 pounds over the limit, but since Memere mentioned it was my first flight they let me take it anyways. Surprisingly enough my baggage wasn't over weight, it was under the limit by ten pounds! :D
Thank god!

Anywho, time is running out!
I'll update this when I land!
Talk to all you motherssss latah!

Monday july 2nd, 2012
6:02 PM
Listening: No Beef - Steve Aoki
Drinking: Nothing
Feeling: Nervous/Excited!

Lonely Canada Day...

Today was Ryan and I's one year anniversary...and it broke my heart that we weren't able to spend it together. I spent most of my day sitting around feeling pitiful and teary-eyed. It's hard to be away from him, especially on such a special day, our day, a day for us...only we're miles apart and it's tearing my heart right in two. 

For the fireworks, I left Memere's at 8:30, alone...I hopped onto the 121 bus all the way to the metro, which is really only a short distance in the bus and only about 20 minutes or so on foot. Got to the metro, and started to get nervous, considering this was my first time taking the metro alone. I started second guessing myself when I got to the platform, even though there was no way for me to be at the wrong platform, I still asked someone if I was at the Orange Line. On the metro, things were okay, since I was at the start of the line, I was lucky and got to sit down for the whole way there. After about 15 minutes, maybe 20, we arrived at Place D'Armes, which is in the old Port of Montreal, what a beautiful area. Oh, and if you turn right when you get out of the metro, it's the Asian District!!

Uhm, I think this is called La Basilique de Notre-Dame
Very Pretty!

I walked down from the metro and down towards the festival grounds. There were so many people!

Tons! Some of every kind and from everywhere! I followed the crowd and they led me to the Science Center, which was just where I needed to be to see the fireworks. But I walked around since I had arrived a bit early. I could hear music but couldn't put my finger on who was singing until I heard one of her terrible songs. It was Lady Gaga on stage. Although I am not a fan, I stood on my tippy-toes and watched the concert as best as I could through the bushes. When I got tired of standing in the bushes crying and feeling sorry for myself, I made my way back to the Science Center, and placed myself where I thought would be best to view the fireworks. Eventually after about 20 minutes, I heard Lady Gaga say her goodbyes to Montreal, very shortly after in the distance the first fireworks could be seen. Unfortunately the spot I had chosen wasn't very good, so I moved in towards the crowd, which was starting to grow. The fireworks were very nice, although I cried through the whole show as I watched couples enjoy it, and wished it was Ryan and I. When they finished, I hurried back to the Metro and bought my ticket. The metro ride home was overly crowded, but not too unpleasant.
I walked from the metro back to Memere's hoping I was heading in the right direction, which I was, because about 20 minutes down the road, I found myself on Duguay street and in front of Memere's apartment building.

Anyways, that was my adventure...

Tomorrow is the big day.

I should probably get some sleep!

Good night everyone!
Love you baby, happy one year anniversary.

I know we're not together, but I thought about you all day, and kept you in my heart.

When I get home I will make it up to you and everything will be good.

I love you more than anything. 

<3

Monday July 2nd, 2012

12:38 AM

Listening to: Nothing, whatever city noises the window has to offer

Drinking: Nothing

Feeling: Lonely as fuck(pardon my French)

Oriental Wonders!

TODAY WAS AWESOME!

Woke up at about 8:30, Memere at this time had already been awake since 4, I relaxed in the living room with her for a while. We eventually got dressed and ready for our adventure to the Asian District!!

The first awesome thing about this trip was that I had to take the metro to get there. Firstly, we left Memere's apartment and we crossed the street to a bus stop, there was already a gang of people waiting so we figured the bus should be coming right along. About a minute or so later the bus appears. 

The buses in Montreal are so cool! You pay either with this cool debit looking card which is a bus/metro pass or with three dollars, which you drop into a box and then a ticket pops out, which you keep. The bus ride to the metro isn't very long, maybe 5 minutes or so. We get off the bus, which is an accordion bus by the way, and we walk into the metro! When you get into the metro, there are turnstiles, and on the side there's a little slot for your ticket and you place the ticket inside and it comes out the other side, and when you take the ticket again it opens the gates and lets you through! For Memere it was easier, she only had to slide her card on this magnetic pad that was on the side of the turnstiles. We then walk down two floors, down to the platform, we didn't have to wait because the train was already there!

The train ride was pleasant, although it was a bit crowded, but it was fun to see how many different cultures there are in this city!!

We finally get to our destination, wayyyy across town!

This is the first thing I see, a cool oriental looking Holiday Inn!

The asian district in montreal is really big!! There is so many kawaii shops, even one named kawaii!

The stuff inside was really, well, KAWAII! I can't wait to go back when I have some money!

There were many other shops I liked that sold beautiful jewellery, awesome anime stuff, cosplay costumes, and loooots and LOTS of Hello Kitty stuff!

We also stopped into a bakery that smelled delectable, I want to go back and buy many of their pastries and some of their green tea mochi!

We ended up buying some bubble tea instead, Memere got Strawberry, or maybe it was Raspberry, it was Strawberry in English and Framboise in French, so I'm not too sure.

I had the Honey Dew Melon one, it was delicious.

Here's me in front of the Kawaii store!

For lunch we ate at such an awesome Asian restaurant!

The name is Ruby Red, I'm not sure of the street name but I know the number of the building is 1008.
You walk in and you are greeted by such a cute little waitress, dressed in what I think is Chinese traditional clothes. She seats you and they place a steaming hot pot of deliciously fragrant green tea and two tea cups in front of you. As well as some sauces in a dish.
The cool thing about this restaurant is that it's a buffet!

But not an ordinary buffet.

Instead of you getting up and serving yourselves, multiple waiters and waitresses go around with various carts of delicious Asian dishes. When I say multiple, I mean like 40 or so different options!
Each item doesn't cost very much also, and they're big enough helpings to serve two or three people easily.

We decided to get for our first option these succulent eggrolls, that were perfectly steamed and unlike any eggroll I have ever had in my life. It was so delicious! Our serving had three eggrolls, so Memere and I each had one and a half.
Our second option was some sort of beef, but it was wrapped in Mochi! 

It was so good, it was like beef noodles, but mochi instead.

Our third option, I took on a whim, and turned out to be really awesome.

It was tofu, I think it had been boiled, or steamed, and it came with this clear-ish liquid.

It was sweet, and tasted sort of like green tea and apples.

You ate it like a soup, and it was very delicious!

I wish I knew what it was called so I could figure out the recipe!
Our fourth option was Sausage rice, which I wasn't a fan of because the rice was dry, and the sausage looked funny and I avoided it completely.

Our last option was these really delicious, but overly sweet, sweet red bean pastries!
They were really good, especially with the green tea, which I don't usually like, but this one was very delicious and both the tea and the pastries complemented each other very well.

Here I am toasting with my tea.

Cheers!

Surprisingly all of this came to under $20 and we could have easily fed another person!

This is an awesome mural we walked by!

I double-decker bus!!

Just one of the streets in the Asian District!

A really cute store, didn't go inside but the architecture is cool!

One of the many arches!

Another arch!

Another nice mural!

Cute Ying-Yang sign on the ground!

Memere! :D

After we had lunch, we walked around for another little while and then headed home!
Enjoy some more pictures I took while I was in the Asian District!

Saturday June 30th, 2012

9:38PM

Listening: To whatever's on TV

Drinking: Iced Tea

Feeling: Lonely now!