Happenings!

July is coming to an end, it’s hard to grasp that summer’s almost over. Paris is subdued to a heat-wave of tropical measure, and waking up in my little bird nest is not that pleasant at the moment. Sweaty sheets twisted in all directions. Hm. However, I should probably start from the beginning and elaborate on my current situation, rather than go on about my morning sensations (ha! Easily misinterpreted, but totally meant to be unsexual I'm afraid).

So here goes. I moved into a little studio flat in Paris on the 5th of July, it’s situated in the 18th arrondissement, on rue Fauvet no 12. It feels so unbelievably good to finally live in the actual city itself! Although, I wasn’t intent to move as early as I did, my plan was rather to find work and stay on for a bit in Louveciennes. That way, I would have made some money for rent and have enough time to find a little place of my own. As it happened, a friend of mine fell upon an announcement on Facebook that her friend was leaving Paris, namely the girl who occupied my present accommodation. So there it is, an opportunity too good to resist! Unfortunately, that left me rather bare-scraped for some weeks (still am), and every day since has been a bit of a struggle.

Work has been found though! Wasn’t too worried about that in the first place, have been told that there are quite a lot jobs here in Paris, and indeed, that’s affirmative. I started off with Gymboree, an American invention which can be defined as a centre where kids come to play and sing, but not as a crèche or anything but rather a baby-gym (check out website www.gymboree-france.fr). I’m hired as an animatrice, someone who activates the kids, sings and plays with them. I’ll be in charge of the English sessions on Sunday mornings, all in all I’ll be working 6 hours a week. Moreover, I’ve also signed with a souvenir shop called Plaisirs de Paris, also in Montmartre not far from where I live. It’s not a regular souvenir shop with t-shirts and such, but I’ll be selling chocolate, champagne, candy and cognac! Yeah. Could be a bit hazardous, seeing as I do suffer from a major sweet tooth-problem. Oh well. I’ll be doing 30 hours a week in the shop, so it all adds up to a full-time employment. Hurrah! Which means, hopefully, that my days of tight budgeting soon will come to an end? At least, I hope so. So sick and tired of having nothing but pasta and ketchup for dinner…

Gymboree doesn’t start until the end of August, and the contract at Plaisirs starts Monday the 4th, so in the meantime I’ve been doing different stuff, mostly baby-sitting for various families, some in and some out of Paris. I’ve also worked in a (proper) souvenir shop in Montmartre, right next to Sacre Coeur. And to put it mildly, it has not been pleasant. Dreadful hours (it’s opened until midnight), drunk and obnoxious tourists and really unfriendly co-workers. So that job, nah, not for me. I’ll get my pay-check and leave ASAP. Never happened to me before, that I feel that uncomfortable with someone that I can’t stand staying, I’d like to think of myself as someone rather easy to deal with but in that place I just feel malplacée. Maybe I’d felt more inclined to give it a chance had I not been offered another job. It all just feels so disorganised and hap-hazard, the hours were sort of just distributed one day in advance. I can’t live like that, I need to be able to plan ahead!

However my other two jobs are more than organised, I was really amazed by the level of seriousness, me having to sign proper contracts. I even have to go and do a medical check-up before I start working! So I do feel taken care of there. And how I am looking forward to my first real pay check! Ah, like you wouldn’t believe...

My work-out and running scheme has suffered a lot these past weeks, haven’t worn my running shoes in so long! They might not even fit me anymore. But that’s going to change, as soon as I’ll be getting some routine back into my life I sure will pick up my old (good) habits again. And me thinking I’d be so healthy and sporty living on my own, ha! Quelle blague, quoi. But no no, seriously, living on my own comes with a great responsibility – it’s me and no one else who’s in charge of whatever I put in my pie-hole, so I better keep a leash on my indulgences. Starting today then. Right.

Unfortunately, since I now consider myself an employed and dedicated woman with tons of responsibilities, I can’t just pack up and leave the country as soon as I feel like it. Have to stick around for a little while longer, maybe even a whole year. So coming back to Sweden within the nearest future is not an option. I do hope I’ll be able to come home for a visit soon, maybe in October/November around Halloween (Gymboree is closed), but I’m not going to count on it. A must though; I will fight to the last drop of blood for time off during Christmas and New Year’s Eve! X-mas cannot be spent anywhere else but in Sweden. That is a fact. New Year’s plans have already been set, it’s leaning towards Edinburgh in fact. Dear old Dani set my mind to it, so I reckon that’s where I’ll be going. More about that later, after all I have 6 more months to change my mind numerous times.

Have to get on with mine now, will meet up Josefin for lunch. She's been in Bretagne for 10 days so we have some catching up to do, and this afternoon I’m working 4 hours in another souvenir shop at rue de Rivoli, same owner as the one next to Sacre Coeur but a bit nicer personnel. Doesn’t mean I will change my mind concerning leaving though, it’s still shit!

Until next time, look after yourselves and I’ll do the same. Ta ta.
C

Complete change of plans!

As it turns out, I'm not going home in July as planned. In fact I'm staying put here in Paris. Have already found a little studio (very tiny) in the 18th arrondissement and will be able to move in asap! Yay! All I need right now is a job... Which might sound terribly tricky put I'm not too worried. Or should I be? I'm not sure. All in all I have a very good feeling about this though. Am really excited, have never ever lived on my own before. Only with friends or in residential college. So this is definitely going to be a good experience. I'm thrilled!
Will be able to stay on with the family for a while longer, luckily. It'll mean I atleast have some form of income next month. But fret not, I am determined to get myself out there and look viciously for work. Any kind of job really, so if you hear anything about an opening in the Paris area - let me know...
Me moving to my own place of course also entails me being able to house visitors anytime for as long as I wish - thus feel free to come and see me! Only be aware that it's a studio we're talking about... Nothing grand. But I absolutely love it.
School's finished, and so is most of my Uni work, hopefully (depending on my teacher if she'll pass me). Have a couple of things I need to sort out this autumn but that's a later project. I'm to set on finding a job right now, it's hard focusing on other things.
This week-end's Midsummer's and I'm going to Sweden, hurrah! My Mum's sister is getting married on Friday (yes I have indeed bought a dress for the occasion), and on Saturday I'm going out to Brännö to meet up with some dearly beloved friends, a couple of which I haven't seen since before Christmas! My word. Really really looking forward to that.
So I'll try to keep this blog updated on my situation, whether I find work or not, but I should think so. If not... I guess I'll just have to come back home... Naaaah!!

A la prochaine!

Two months to go

Woa, time... so swiftly gone by. It's quite hard to grasp that it's nearly June. Last weekend was spent in la magnifique Suède, it was more than gloriously lovely. A bit short, but I reckon I managed to meet up with quite a bunch of people. Did the little half marathon aswell, finished at 2.05 - really pleased and content! Next year I'm aiming for the magical 2 hour limit, oh yeah. Had an inspiring chat with my prof last Monday about my essay on Les Misérables (huge source of concern), she has faith in it, which made me feel a bit more calm but still... there's a long way to go. Gotta finish before my next Sweden-visit (Midsummer's, hurrah!) so hop to it chop chop!

Also, I was totally and unexpectedly blasted with a virus on my MSN not so long ago! Spread to Facebook aswell, so now I'm sorta panicking, I'm useless and crappy with computers, what the F shall I do? If anyone has heard of this before (me sending random links to my contacts while being offline) please tell me. Grateful for any kind of support and tips on that one. And also, should I suddenly start sending something to any of you - delete asap! And I'm sorry, it's not intentional...

Sorbonne classes are almost over, only one more week to go. Feels weird but good that that's done, and sad too. One course went really well, the litterature one, managed to do all the work without failing, but the other one... not so good. Studies on the French language from Antique to contemporate times! It's really complicado, so not entirely unexpected either that I didn't pass it. Even the Frenchies said they had trouble figure that one out, so I'm not the only one.

Speaking of failing, I didn't pass the translation exam either (the 5 hour one), which means my whole future came crashing down in one blow (dramatic). Thus, since I'm not accepted into the translation program for next semester, I have to rethink the next 12 months, find a job wherever, a place to stay... preferably well-paid with great hours and lots of stimulation! Any suggestions? Thing is, I really could do whatever wherever. No real preferences. Simple as that. Yep. Reeaaal easy huh?

On to the good news from Holland; the treatment in Cologne turned out to be rather succesful, with a slight reduction of the tumour! Unbelievable and fantastic news! Still a long way to go, but some hope is restored which feels very good for everyone involved. Phew.

Right, so I have to resume my quest for tickets... might end up leaving France by the aid of my thumb on the side of the road. Intriguing indeed... to be announced!



A plus!

Crazed dazed and amazed

My my my. It is indeed a sure sign of spring if mademoiselle Stiberg go out, get drunk and get all of her stuff lost. Mhm. Has become somewhat of a tradition. A very unpleasant one, but a tradition nonetheless. Long story short, I went out with my dearest partner in crime, Amanda, two weeks ago, to a club called Showcase and had a blast at first (as always) but somewhere down the road my stuff pulled a number on me and I was left with an empty bag (wallet, camera, phone, metro-pass, the works). Unknown to this point wether someone lifted it out of my bag or not... Peu importance. So, I went to the Commissariat de Police who didn't want to help at first - suggested I should go home and rest and then come back, but since I had no metro-pass and zippo money, how was I supposed to pull that off? They sent me to the Swedish Embassy, 8 o'clock in the morning on a Sunday, yeah really bright, as if that would help me, huh? Even so, I went, and fortunately there was someone there! No other than Gunnar - the ambassador. However, I didn't realise that at the time... He couldn't stay and help me though since he was off for the airport, so he called a lady that would come down. Meanwhile I had caused quite a stir, a really sweet old madame came up to me as I sat in my despair and GAVE me 10 euro - "Here, go and have a coffee, it's on me" - how sweet was she? Also, a Danish woman and two policeofficers joined the group, and as the Embassy-lady came trotting down the street I had attracted a smaller crowd. Oh dear.

It all ended well though. Managed to call my bank from the Embassy, and then got a ride in the police-car, I have to say it felt quite special. Told the officers I'd never been in one before, so they put the sirens on!! It was off the hook... They even ran some red lights, crazy coppers. Left a smallish statement of theft, and thanks to the little donation from the old lady I made it home. Phew.

At the moment, most of my stuff has been replaced and renewed, except for the camera of course. I do believe I'm not supposed to have one, since I keep having them lost or stolen! I'm just gonna face the music and refuse to get a new one. For the time being at least. They sent me an email from the club saying my wallet showed up a couple of days ago, but nothing else. A bit disappointing, even if I didn't count on anything to come back to me.

Friday, my dear old flatmates Cia and Emma are coming to visit! YAY! But first I'm doing an exposé oral for literatureclass, nerve-wrecking, AND a 5 hour exam... Stressful indeed. And now I gotta go to class, but I will report on the weekend events later on.

Cheerio!

Spring is acomin'!

Finally, the rain has ceased and the sun is spreading some merciful rays on Paris with region. Oh yes it is as lovely as it sounds. These past three weeks I've really kickstarted my running, the race is a little more than 40 days away so... better get going eh? Four times a week, that should do it I hope. Went to La Défense shopping centre today and bought new runningshoes (or baskets as they call sport-shoes, hilarious), got a sweet deal since it's "marathon-month" now. Yep on Sunday the Marathon de Paris is on, and no I'm not participating. 21km is enough for me. One day perhaps I'll take on a real one. Not just yet though.
So what else is new, not much I guess. School's really picking up its pace, I have my humungus essay à 15 pages I need to get started with, it's supposed to be finished by May 4th! GAAH! Not stressed out at all, no. And La Sorbonne's also living up to foretold standards, the profs don't tardy with their essays and litterary analyses... my word. Go to bed with a spinning head full of figures and metaphors every night.
Tomorrow I'll répose myself a bit though, go for a run and then coffees with Anika en ville. Later on, to set my mood right what else is better than a good solid Saturday night out with my girls to do the trick? And perhaps one or two male appearances... who knows. More about that later.
Gotta go put the kids to bed, a bit short blog this time, but I really didn't have much to tell! Sad!
Big bisouxxx

Conjunctivitis and coolness in Cannes

Next weekend-trip took me as far as the Côte d'Azur, Cannes to be more precise. An old classmate from 3rd grade lives there now, and I applied my dear old moto - "If you invite, oh trust me, I will come!" and went to visit her Thursday through Sunday. Thinking it would be, say, 20 degrees and sunny, I packed mostly tops and t-shirts, but alas! It was more towards 15 and rain. Didn't bring our spirits down though, we went for walks and coffees (on the almost deserted beach) and strolled around the older parts of Cannes, they've got some really cool shops there. Lingerie and perky partyhabits, sweet.

Friday we went out for dinner in a really nice French restauraunt (3 course meal, not too shabby at all), and even though it wasn't planned, we decided to go and have some drinks in a bar next door. My friend literally lives around the corner to most hot bars and clubs - tempting? I kid you not! The one drink turned out to mean clubbing and dancing until 4am, we went to all kinds of cool places, the names of which are a bit blurry for obvious reasons, but I think they were Via Notte, The Loft (or Tantra?) and New Cat. Good times indeed.

However, Saturday I woke up, unable to open my eyes - they were glued shut! Yeah, real nice. My conjuctivitis had returned, but I guess I had it coming since I didn't exactly take care of my last one. Should have thrown out all my eye-makeup for once, but my tight budget doesn't really allow me to do such atrocious things... Fortunately, there were some eyedrops at my disposal that helped a tad, but I couldn't wear my lenses at all, which sort of slowed me down a bit. My dear hosts had to move all their stuff to Golfe-Juan (a village 5 mins drive east), since their appartment in Cannes would be rented out to some real-estaters the following week. So we packed our bags and headed off. Saturday night, since it was the International Women's Day, we went to a girls only aperitif with lots of yummy foodlets and desserts, then following that up with some drinks in the Absinthe bar in Antibes. You could get all kinds of funky absinthedrinks there, but I didn't really feel it (had enough the night before), so I ordered a Heineken - can you believe it! The barman looked at me long and hard... I just wasn't in the "fée-verte" mood.

Went back to Paris around five-ish Sunday afternoon. The weather got a bit better so we had coffees semi-outside on the beach in Cannes. All in all it was a really nice and relaxing weekend, just what I needed. It was really good fun to meet my old friend again and talk about old sweet times. Next weekend-trip will hopefully be Barcelona, we'll see where my fundings take me though!

À la prochaine! XXX

Belgian bliss

She went, she saw, she was... moderately impressed. Yes, I went to Brussels. It was alright, I guess. Unfortunately, it's a bit difficult to feel at all swept away by any place after spending six months in Paris. I mean, the first three weeks here, I just walked around with my mouth wide open, in awe, staring at all the pretty buildings. It's magnificent, clean (except for all the doggy poo that is, bien sûr) and structured. Brussels is sort of... not. Don't get me wrong, I liked it, the beer's the best in the world and the chocs to die for. To be honest, my expectations weren't that high anyways, which kept disappointmentlevels low.
After a quite intense Fridaynight; Anika and Damir's terrific "Back to Paris"-party which lasted well into the wee hours of the morning (went to bed around sixish), it's safe to say I arrived in Brussels already feeling a bit rough around the edges. But since I wouldn't let that bring me down, me and my dear au pairing friends took on the town, had lots if not too many drinks, went out clubbing at a très chic boîte called Le You (nice anglicised touch there, don't you think?), and then moved on to some bars to kill some more time in sleepless drunkenness. And also, since the staff at the hostel where we were staying were complete, and I say this with utter respect, ASSHOLES, they wouldn't let us back in between one and seven in the morning, well, we were just forced to stay out until then. Which we did, of course. Me and Amanda, contemporarily known as "the Brave ones", had some greasy Greek (food, nothing else) around 6.30am, and moved directly on to the complementary but ridiculous brekkie served at the hostel (after sneering at the receptionist in a spiteful manner). Slept for about two hours, checked out and accompanied the rest of the voyageurs to a little Belgian town near the coast called Brügge. This little picturesque village is also called the Venice of Northern Europe, which I sort of disagree with, only I shouldn't since I've never really been to Venice in the first place so I have no clue what it's like, but none the less it was rather cute and cosy. Had lunch (pizza - being hungover like an egg), did some touristing, and then we steered our vehicle back to Paris.
All in all it was a satisfying weekend, regardless of the lack of sleep and malturns with the hostel. Met some really cool people and was vacantly amused, so I guess a good 7 out of 10 wouldn't be an exaggeration.
I'm free from au pair and class work this week, the Mottes went to London this morning and there simply aren't any classes this week at la Sorbonne, so yay to me, I'm free! Going to Cannes Thursday morning as planned and will stay there until Sunday. Hoping to catch some beams, my skin hasn't seen proper sunlight in eons. Look like an asparagus, oh... right, the white kind I mean. Anywho, that about sums it up. Tomorrow I will engage myself in one more "sortie" with my beloved friends, perhaps even catch some after work at le cercle suèdois, who knows?
Take care you all, puss och kram!