Dear readers...

I'm taking off for London this morning, and I won't have internet access for a week. I'll post photos when I get home!

Love, Megan

Photography Project #2: Reflections on "The Sound of Music"

The first time I remember seeing a decorative crucifix was at the age of eight. My mom and I were both rehearsing a production of “The Sound of Music”—she was cast as a nun, and I was to be little Gretl. In our third and final week of rehearsal, our scenery and costumes were completed. Upon viewing these new theatrical elements, I noticed crosses adorning the convent set, as well as the many rosaries being worn onstage by the nuns. At first those relics confused me, as I had no knowledge of their medieval symbolism. I was a bit disturbed at seeing the broken Christ, with wounds in his hands and feet, adorning our stage… and yet, as I performed night after night, I would stand at the bottom of the largest crucifix, completely mesmerized.

Our study abroad group has only been in Paris for two weeks, and I have already spent a great deal of time exploring cathedrals. In the early morning, before classes begin, I love to read in Saint-Merri. I go to Notre Dame to watch devout Catholics lighting candles to the Virgin Mary. Several times, in smaller churches across the city, I have walked in on nuns singing verses of scriptures—the most beautiful harmony imaginable. I always sit down in the corner, close my eyes, and listen to their voices echoing off the limestone.

Experiences like these cause me to think of my mother, dressed in her habit. I can see her sitting in the dressing room of the Willows Theatre, applying her makeup. And I think about her testimony of the atonement of Jesus Christ. It was at the age of eight that I remember her saying, “Megan, you should not be sad when you see the Savior hanging on the cross. It’s not a symbol of death. It’s a symbol of life. It’s a symbol of love.”

This collection of photos is meant to convey, in visual form, the warmth that I feel as I spend time in Paris’ cathedrals. I am fascinated by the jewel-toned patterns cast on the floor from stained glass windows and candlelight. It does not matter that my beliefs do not echo, in full, those of the Catholic faith. Like a young girl I once knew, I always find myself at the base of the crucifix.

Gotta try everything once...

Today, I ate veal kidney for the first time. Those who know me well can attest that I will put anything in my stomach: cow tongue, raw fish, intestine...

Kidney? Out of line. That was disgusting.

Humans shouldn't be eating that.

The latest and greatest...

Hi friends! My host family does not have internet, but the restaurant below our place offers free and unlimited Wifi. It's a cute little cafe, but it would be a drag to go order food every time I want to get online. So, whenever I'm able to check my email or post a blog update, it's because I've managed to hack into the restaurant's internet. But that is the "French way." If there is Wifi available, you use it! Anyway, my internet has been awful this week. If I start seeing a stronger connection, I'm going to download some new videos for you.

This is another café down the street from our apartment. Ashley and I went there for dinner on Wednesday of last week, and we ended up staying there for over two hours, eating and talking. We're so French. Well, I convinced Ashley to get pâté. I told her, "It's so good. You'll love it." However, I refused to tell her what it was. It wasn't until after she had cleaned her plate that I said, "You ate liver!"


On Friday night, I saw the Eiffel Tower all lit up. Even though we arrived around 10 pm, Trocadero was swarming with cute couples, souvenir vendors, and eager tourists. Every hour, the Eiffel Tower sparkles like a diamond for five minutes. I imagined tacky carnival lights when I heard about the Eiffel Tower light show, but it's far more tasteful and elegant. You'll see it when I post my videos.


The Eiffel Tower reflecting off the Seine. Isn't it beautiful? You can see a boat tour passing under the bridge. I think that a night-time boat ride on the Seine would be spectacular. Maybe one of these days...


The following picture has not been photo-shopped or digitally altered in any way. I changed some night settings on my camera, and I took some cool photos of Ashley in front of the Eiffel Tower. She returned the favor and snapped this one of me. It almost looks like I'm in front of a green-screen image... but it's the real deal!


On Saturday 9/19, I went to the Louvre to sketch a Donatello statue for my art history class. It was so fun. And... well, this is amusing... I wore my cute black and white dress. I was entering the Italian Renaissance wing, which was rather crowded. As I side-stepped a man who was rushing past, I stepped on an air vent. My dress came up around my waist, a la Marilyn Monroe, and I shared my pink underwear with a gallery of tourists. I heard several people clap. My little flashing act definitely did not go unnoticed. 1) Why was there an air vent in the middle of the floor? And, 2) What if I'm in some tourist's photos?!

Here is the infamous dress at the Louvre.


Last night, Ashley and I were supposed to meet some friends for dinner. We were standing around in front of Hotel de Ville (our designated meeting spot), and she took this picture. Our plans fell through, so she and I took off to the Latin Quarter and ate some fantastic Indian food. I love the Latin Quarter-- there is a large variety of restaurants, they are all affordable and delicious, the streets are always active, and it's not swarming with too many tourists at night.


We found this cute little bookstore in the Latin Quarter called "Shakespeare and Company." It's a tiny little shop with rows upon rows of old books. There's a "reading room" that consists of two old velvet theatre chairs, a shelf ladder, and a gaudy bohemian lamp. The ceilings have old wood beams. I might go live in this store.


On Sunday, our church was relocated to Versailles, where we were supposed to have Stake Conference (a larger church meeting with several congregations). However, the ward neglected to make that information clear to us... so a large portion of our group did not make it to church. Since we had no religious meetings to attend, Ashley and I decided to go on a Sunday walk by Sacre Coeur. To get to the cathedral, which is set on the top of a hill, one must climb a large number of stone steps (or take the funicular, which is pretty lazy). This is a picture at the halfway point, where we stopped to enjoy the view.



Behind me is the Sacre Coeur cathedral, crawling with visitors and thieves. Once inside, Ashley and I enjoyed part of a worship service where nuns sang verses of scripture. It was very peaceful and reverent. What a contrast to the outside of the cathedral!


Well, it's long past my bedtime... but I wanted to share these pictures with you while the internet is working! Tomorrow, my art history class will be visiting the Louvre (or "Loov-ruh," as my teacher pronounces it) together. It should be a wonderful day!

Photography Project #1

I was taking photos under the Eiffel Tower, when a charming wedding chauffeur approached me. He asked me (in very rapid French) what I was doing, and I explained that I was shooting pictures to send to my family. He said, “You can find photos anywhere. This place is for living. The beautiful monuments only make Paris better.” We chatted about photography for a few minutes, and he invited me to have drinks with him sometime. I politely declined.

He was right. It is so easy to Google beautiful postcard images of the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, and Notre Dame. But what do foreigners do when they finally see one of these stunning monuments in person? They often miss looking, feeling, and smelling. Paris has a very strong heartbeat, but I believe that many tourists miss that energy.

I wanted to sketch the Eiffel Tower, so I spent a long time on a nearby bench. In that time, I discovered so much about the life of the tower, and the lives of visitors as well. So many different scents, colors, and accents passed by my little park bench. If I had just taken some pictures of the Eiffel Tower and moved on to the next attraction, I would have missed that experience.

The more I spend time soaking in the culture here, the more I realize that I have become part of the energy of Paris. That’s why, of all the pictures I’ve taken this week, I chose this simple self-portrait (of sorts) to share with you. I only photographed the corner of the Eiffel Tower on purpose—because, as the chauffeur said, the monuments only enhance what Paris has to offer.

As I discover Paris, I discover myself… and I’m finding that the two are not very different, after all.

J'habite la seizieme...

Hello, everyone! Yesterday, my roommate Ashley and I went on a day-long excursion. For one of our classes, we are frequently assigned "walks." These walks consist of 2-4 hour self-guided trips to various locations. Our little walks book contains history, directions, and maps for each assignment.

Yesterday, Ashley and I did the "Seizieme Arrondisement" walk. We happen to live in this arrondisement of Paris. Here's what the walk book says about our area:

"Living in the Seizieme arrondisement in Paris is a big deal! And depending on whom you're talking to, 'Oh, j'habite la seizieme' (I live in the 16th arrondisement) might be considered a snobbish response." That is true.

Our walk began at Metro Passy, where we then crossed Pont de Bir-Hakeim. This bridge is the only bridge in Paris that is used for metro, pedestrians, and cars. In the picture below, I am standing in the middle pedestrian lane on Pont de Bir-Hakeim. There were cars speeding past on both sides, and the metro train was running over-head. Check out the great view of the Eiffel Tower across the Seine!


In my hands, I'm clutching the "Walking Through Paris' History" book, which I lovingly call, "The Walks Book." At this point, I was reading, "Your first destination is Allee des Cygnes." Once off the bridge, we walked down to the river and along the Allee des Cygnes (swans), which is a long, artificial island in the middle of the Seine. It was lined with trees and cooing couples. Does anyone wish to guess what I saw next? I will give you a hint. It's a smaller replica of a famous landmark in the United States. France gifted the original statue to the U.S. as a celebration of the United States' first hundred years as a nation. Any guesses? I saw...

The Statue of Liberty! In France?

Auguste Bartholdi used this 'miniature' version of Lady Liberty to create the large-scale statue we visit in New York today. Quite honestly, this statue isn't all that small..

We walked past Castel Beranger, so that we could study Hector Guimard's iconic art nouveau architecture. Next, we were supposed to find Rue Berton. It's a narrow cobblestone street that has barely changed in the last 200 years. As we were searching for Rue Berton, I turned a corner and saw... WHAM. The Eiffel Tower. Getting lost in Paris is fun-- you never know what you'll see as you weave through the streets.


I was so ecstatic to have finally found Rue Berton, that I had a Gene Kelly moment. This is at the mouth of Rue Berton. As we kept walking, the road got more and more narrow... until finally, it was about three feet wide.


Rue Berton took us to Balzac's home, where we perused his manuscripts and printing plates. We then made our way through the Jardins du Ranelagh, where royalty would often host garden parties. Now, it's a fun park for kids. There is a carousel that is cranked by hand, sandboxes and slides, and old statues that double as play equipment. Right across the street from the park is Musee Marmatton, where many of Monet's works are on display, as well as some paintings by Renoir and Lautrec. Mother, I cannot believe that we did not see this museum together. When I saw a large collection of Monet's Nymphea (water lilies) hanging on the wall, I got teary. Isn't that ridiculous? I was so excited to be seeing those beautiful paintings in person. For the curious art-lovers, the Monet exhibit also included (but was not limited to): London, the Parliament, and Reflections on the Thames; Grainstack; The Japanese Bridge; and The Bridge of Charing Cross, Smoke in the Fog. I cannot even number how many of his paintings were there. The gallery was quite large. But those were some that I recognized. If the titles aren't right, excuse me... they were listed in French! I sketched one of his water lily paintings for my art class, and it was great fun.

Next, we adventured into the Bois de Boulogne, which is the most enormous park in Paris. Well, it's a "park," but "bois" really means "the woods." There are three lakes, tons of trees, and cute waterfalls. There's a lot of bike and boat traffic. Nate and Anna-- I saw this little chalet across the lake. It's only accessible by boat, or else I would have checked it out in person. I asked my host family about it, and they said it's a fantastic restaurant. I want to do some research about the food they serve... but we might have a winner. This might be my gourmet experience.


This is one of the waterfalls in the woods. Can you believe that I live here? I have to pinch myself sometimes.


The woods are also home to a temporary carnival, where there are 100 attractions. The carnival is running until mid-October, and I am definitely planning to go. This is the coolest ride I saw...


Well, our whole adventure required around six hours of walking. It was one crazy day! We were so starving when we got home that we ran to the grocery store. This is a photo of our first groceries in Paris. For dinner, I sliced up a tomato, zucchini, and cheese... and I ate yogurt for dessert!


All in all, it was a wonderful day... Until next time!

Sounds of Paris

I have big news.  Drum roll, please... 

This week, three individuals approached me, thinking I was French.  Ta-da!  On Monday morning, I was walking past the Stravinsky fountain, looking quite sour-faced, for that's the easiest way to blend in.  A college student, probably my same age, ran up to me waving a metro map.  In very broken French, she said, "Bon-jer.  Je che... cherche metro... Rombuh... Romb..."  I began pointing my arms and speaking in very rapid French (because I wanted to have some fun) and she looked absolutely mortified.  Then I laughed and said, "I speak English.  The metro is right behind you.  Good luck!"  The second story involved a French girl, who approached me.  Her accent was heavy and her words shot out of her mouth like bullets, but I could tell that she was also looking for the metro.  I told her that it was a block away.  When she heard me speak, she cocked her head to one side, probably wondering where I could have come from.  She thanked me and sped on.  The third story involved an older gentleman who needed help getting to the Trocadero station.  I was able to tell him (in French, of course) exactly which line to take, in which direction, and how many stops there are before Trocadero… That made me feel pretty accomplished.

Now, to the good stuff.  Every time I walk through the Franklin D. Roosevelt station, there is always a musician or group performing deep in the tunnels of the metro.  And as you walk through that station, you can hear their music echoing off the walls.  Today, I found the source of the music.  If you try to watch the video, you'll get dizzy.  I was trying to be discrete, because I didn't want my camera to get snatched.  But at the end of the footage, you can see what the underground walking tunnels look like. 

My roommate and I visited Notre Dame today.  There had to have been thousands of tourists flooding the cathedral.  You know, it's such a beautiful place.  It's no wonder that everyone wants to see it.  But as I sat down in the cathedral to admire the stained glass windows, I began to feel weird.  There were audio tours.  Money changers.  Vending machines spitting out trinkets and collector medallions.  Cameras flashing.  Post card stands.  Loud conversations.  I immediately thought of the story in John (and Luke, too?) about Jesus clearing out the temple where men were doing business.  It is sad that visitors can't appreciate Notre Dame as a reverent place.  Instead, it's a stop on the map.  It's not meant for worship.  

Then, I saw this and took a picture (without flash).  A small demonstration of faith.  After lighting a candle, this girl said a brief prayer, collected her things, and left the cathedral.  It's nice that some people still recognize why Notre Dame was built in the first place.

In our wandering, we also found another cathedral behind l'Hotel de Ville.  We didn't stay long, but I'll return another day.  I could sit in that cathedral for hours.  When we walked through the doors, I could hear singing.  I took a couple videos, because I wanted to preserve the music.  I was, again, trying to be discrete.  Enjoy! 

Oh, Champs Elysees...

Good evening, everyone!  Wow, what a day.  I'm so exhausted, but I couldn't go to bed without sharing some fun pictures with you.  But first, a story.

This morning at 9:00, I went to purchase a week-long metro pass from a clerk in my local metro station.  I had a rechargeable ticket (it looks like a credit card), and I approached the clerk with 30 euros.  The following conversation took place in flawless French, I promise.

Me:  Good morning.  I would like to recharge my Navigo pass for the week.  I need metro zones 1-4.  That costs 27 euros, right?

Clerk:  That will be 17 euros for zones 1-2.

Me:  I'm sorry.  I may be incorrect... but I thought it was close to 30 euros for zones 1-4.  That's what I need.

Clerk: (rolls eyes)  Do you need to be in all of the city?

Me:  No, I need to be in zones 1-4.

Clerk:  (pulls out map)  Where do you need to go?

Me: Zones 1, 2, 3, and 4.  Is that possible?

Clerk: (proceeds to ring me up for zones 1-6 and 40 euros).

Me:  Maybe I should buy my ticket at another time.  I only have 30 euros, and I only need zones 1-4.  Is it not possible to just get four zones?

Clerk:  (massively rolls eyes and apologizes to man behind me) It is possible.  

Me:  Great.  I'm sorry for the confusion.  That's what I need.

--Transaction completed--

Then, my poor roommate got up to the counter and said, "I'd like the same..."

The killer is that the card didn't work when I tried to go through the turnstyle scanner.  I had to go back up to the counter...

Me:  I'm sorry, but my card didn't work.  Did I do something wrong?

Then, the clerk buzzed the turnstyle and barked "GO" while shaking her head and rolling her eyes... again... and she let me through.  She wasn't any more rude than some Americans I've encountered, but she was not helping to reverse the stereotype of rude Parisians.  Apparently, several of my classmates had similar problems with metro workers not allowing them to use zones 1-4 (even though it's a legitimate request) and malfunctioning metro cards... I'm just grateful that I am advanced in French.  If I didn't feel at ease with the language, the above conversation would have been impossible.

Today was my first day of school.  I didn't have my first class until 1 PM, and so I spent a huge chunk of the morning writing postcards outside in the Pompidou Center courtyard.  For the person who doubts that Paris is beautiful (and thinks that LA is charming), this photo is for you.  This cathedral was just twenty feet away from where I was sitting:

The picture does not do it justice.  Anyway, I had a great time exploring the city by myself.  I discovered several cool alleys, statues, shops, and ate a goat cheese/chicken/tomato sandwich at a bakery called The Gay Bakery (in French).  The Gay Bakery is right across the street from our church building, which is also where we have classes and institute.  The church building happens to be in a homosexual district of Paris, and the Gay Bakery contributes to the flamboyance of the neighborhood by baking phallic bread and hiring feminine men to work the cash register.  If you've seen The Birdcage, the gentleman who worked the register today reminded me of Agador Spartacus (aka Hank Azaria).

Aww, look.  Mom, this is for you.  "First day of school" picture.  From left to right, we have Amelia, Tim, Ashley, and yours truly.  We didn't plan to wear Valentines Day colors, or to stand in that alternating order.

Now, ladies and gentlemen, check out these delicacies from Laduree, the "rockstar of pastries."  I ate the lemon tart, and it was one of the most delicious things I've ever tasted.  I was also fortunate to try a few bites of the pink creation-- fresh raspberries, sandwiched between to rose flavored macarons, and a rose petal on top.  I took one bite of the chocolate eclair, too.  It was way too rich for me, but delicious all the same.  These goodies were a gift from our program director, M. Olivier.  Seeing as I'll never be able to afford to try all of these pastries (each little treat costs around six bucks!), it was wonderful to have a class tasting.  I also took a picture of all of the students taking pictures of these masterful pastries.  Do you see the chocolate squares down at the bottom?  Topped with gold leaf.  Unreal.

After class, Ashley and I did some errands.  We went to the post office and bought stamps for our post cards.  I couldn't remember the word for stamps (les timbres), but I managed to buy them from the clerk without needing to say "stamps."  I pretty much said, "I have two letters and two post cards for the United States.  How much will it cost to send them?"  Embarrassing situation avoided.  We bought groceries at our local store for the first time.  Then, we met a group of friends at a local metro stop and headed over to the Champs Elysees.  Four sets of roommates: Sara, Caitlin, Emma, Ashley, Angela, Kylie, Danni, and me.  We had a good time watching a horrible hip hop show on the street (featuring Monsieur Affie dancing to Michael Jackson and Inspector Gadget), drinking in the sight of the Arc de Triomphe, dreaming of affording clothes at NafNaf and eating French McDonalds.  I even found the little crepe stand where my mom and I bought our first crepes four years ago.  I didn't get one, though... they jacked up the price!

Ashley and I got home pretty late, and I'm ready for bed.  Tomorrow will be a great day because I have my Paris Walks and photography classes.  I can only imagine fun things...

Bon nuit!  :)

My Life in the 16th

Hi everyone!  I just finished having a delicious dinner with my French family.  Steak, chicken, tomatoes, tomatoes, tomatoes, salad with cilantro, carrots, more tomatoes, tomme cheese, bread... and for dessert, whipped white cheese (foreign to us Americans-- it's like whipped cream but a little less sweet) with raspberry sauce and fresh raspberries.  Delicious.

As requested, here is a photo of my apartment building.  I'm in the red brick apartment immediately to the left of the lamp post.  If you think it's cute on the outside, you should see the building on the inside!  The whole neighborhood is great.

Today after church, my roommate and I found an enormous garden just a couple blocks from our place.  It is called "Le jardin des serres d'Auteuil."  The word serres means greenhouses, and Auteuil is the name of the neighborhood.  And there are tons of greenhouses everywhere!  The park is a mini Central Park, complete with red-sided brick buildings; separate gardens of the Japanese, Chinese, Mediterranean, and English influences; concert locations; sculptures; and tons of grass.  Below, I am enjoying one of the many flower gardens.  This park actually grows and cultures plants that are going to be planted in other parks all over Paris (hence the plethora of greenhouses).

Another lovely view of the park.  Do you see where I'm sitting, and the stairs way behind me?  That distance makes up half of the width of the park.  As to the length... It has to be at least four city blocks.

This brick building is one of the many structures in the park, and it's used as a 'shed' for gardening supplies.  My roommate and I were having fun taking silly pictures.  I should never aspire to modeling-- it does not work well for me.

And my roommate!  Ashley is great.  She is extremely easy-going and an absolute blast, and she is always willing to go along with my crazy ideas.  And she is equally eager to plan fun adventures.  Her laugh is infectious.  We have fun.

Tomorrow... photos of my classroom setting by the Centre Pompidou.  Ashley and I are also planning on buying groceries, as Carrefour was closed today (good for them).  Then, after a trip to the post office, we're thinking about paying the Champs Elysees a nighttime visit.  Maybe we'll eat at the street-side McDonalds, mom.  Who knows.  ;)

The adventure continues...

Hi everybody!  I just got back from a three hour church meeting, and I am absolutely famished.  My roommate and I moved into our host family's darling apartment last night, and we did not have a chance to buy groceries.  So, just for today, we are going to break our promise to not shop on Sundays.  We're going to Carrefour to get some food!

The 16th arrondisement is universally charming.  The streets are fairly narrow, and it is a comfortable residential area.  No tourists here!  And my bedroom is fantastic.  Check it out:

This is the window that overlooks a little courtyard.  The courtyard is more practical than pretty, but I don't mind.  The windows are tall and let in soft light.  You can also see my writing desk.  No homework will be done there!  It's reserved for artistic and recreational purposes.

Panning to the left... This is my sink!  Everyone should have a sink in their room.  It's divine.

Lastly, my bed.  Very comfortable.  Firm, the way I like it, and very inviting.  In fact, maybe I'll let myself take a Sunday nap today...

Well, that was the grand tour!  Sometime later, I'll post a video so that you can see the whole apartment.  I'll also share some photos of the fun flea market I went to yesterday-- Les Puces de Saint Ouen (pronounced 'poos du san twah').

"Paris holds the key to your heart..."

Dear loyal readers (aka Mom and Anna),

I arrived safely in Paris today. Today was hectic-- walking through the Frankfurt airport was like playing a sinister game of Chutes and Ladders. I went through security twice, was subjected to passport checks several times, and walked up and down more stairs than necessary. Finding my hotel in Paris was also a trial. I took the RoissyBus to l'Opera Garnier and then took the 7 and 1 metro lines to Saint Mande, and it was smooth sailing. But once I was up on the street, it was not clear where I should go. I asked several individuals "Connaissez-vous l'avenue Leon Gaumont?" I received the most assistance from one grandmotherly figure, who was eager to help.

My hotel room is comical. I love it. It smells like smoke, the shower is in the closet, and the bathroom has no lock. My roommate and I are sleeping in bunk beds. Honestly, this room has quirky charm.

My roommate and I received our host family assignments today. She and I are really the only students living in the actual city. We're staying in the 16th arrondisement (a wealthy area) with a "modern and dynamic lady of 67 who is involved in a lot of humanitarian activities." Living so close to the Arc de Triomphe is going to be fabulous.

Today, our study abroad group went on a boat ride on the Seine. I snapped this picture of the Eiffel Tower:

Then, my roommate Ashley, and our new friends Kylie and Angela, went to eat pizza in the Latin Quarter. It was a charming little restaurant, mostly lit by candle and Christmas lights, with tables spilling out onto the sidewalk. And the pizza was to die for. Here, we're clinking our glasses and saying, "Bon appetit! We're in Paris!"

"I wanna wake up in a city that never sleeps..."

New York, New York...

I have spent two fabulous days in the Big Apple with my brother Nate and his darling wife Anna. They have been tremendous hosts and tour guides: we've consumed unparalleled chocolate cheesecake and green tea ice cream, famous soup dumplings at Joe's in Chinatown, Nate's wok masterpieces... We have also explored Inwood and Central Park, reveled in the perfect weather (see photo to the left), boarded the Staten Island ferry and cruised past the Statue of L

iberty at sunset... A great start to my grand adventure!

Tomorrow, I'll be leaving New York and flying to Paris. It will be a day-long journey, and I'm sure to be exhausted when I arrive in the City of Love. However, no nap for me! I'm going to tackle my jet lag like nobody's business.

Here is my favorite photo from my brief stay in New York. Mom and Dad, check out that scenic sailing! Until next time.