Les hauts et les bas.

Who would have thought that moving to the other side of the world to a country where you can't speak the language with a family and children you have never met would be difficult? This week has had a few ups and downs. It has been a week of firsts, and hopefully lasts. I have attempted to solve my first problem in French (and failed, finding someone who spoke English) and have already got lost coming out of the metro so many times! I have reluctantly discovered how to use the late night bus service but have already met many new people along the way.
There are so many Aupairs in Paris and we seem to be able to recognise each other from a mile away! It is reassuring to get together and swap stories of attemps to bath screaming children and tips on making them do what you say, although it is scary hearing some horror stories about some families.
Although it has been stressful at times I have had already some amazing experiences in Paris. On Saturday I somehow managed to convince myself to get up early and go for a morning run. It's slightly less painful when you are in Paris along the Seine running past Notre-Dam Cathedral and back again.In the afternoon, Lucinda, Jess and I discovered the Marais district and spent hours chatting in a park avoiding children with water pistols soaking up the 29C French sun. I ate my first macaroon on the Champs-Elysee and we spent the warm Parisian night chatting and laughing under the Arch de Triomphe. On Sunday the true Paris showed itself and the weather changed for the worse. Apparently Paris is a very wet city and this held true on the day a group of Aupairs had organised to do a walking tour. We tramped around the beautiful city under the safety of our umbrellas and all took overpriced hot chocolates in just one of the many quaint cafes in the city.

After working this afternoon I organised to meet with Jess and we tried and succeeded in finding a Parisian China town. We ordered our food in a combination of Chinese, English and French and I am proud to say the first meal I have eaten entirely in chopsticks was in Paris. Sitting in the restaurant chatting away with my good friend from home, we lost ourselves in conversation and I could have been anywhere in the world. I was shocked to be spoken to in French and it took a moment to remember that we were in France.

After some pretty difficult times, it is moments like my first macaroon in Paris and chatting with friends under the Arch de Triomphe which remind me why I chose to move away and go on such a big adventure. I can't wait until my french classes start and I can improve my language and get to know more people and have more nights like tonight.

Until then
Love Sarah
xx

Paris, Finalement!

 

After only three nights in hostel dorms I was already so excited to see a huge queen bed in my own room at my relatives place in Cardiff. I was offered tea every half hour and spent two days lazily relaxing in the calm city. I spent one day with a my cousin and aunty (who are actually my mums cousin and my mums cousins daughter, eh, too complicated) and another in the lovely English town of Hay-on-Wye which is know as the "town of books" since its home to so many second hand bookshops. I spent the day browsing books and antiques before an amazing curry dinner.

Next I headed east to Bath and met some hilarious Australian girls before I had even checked it. I swear we are everywhere. We spent the evening chatting and drinking coffee, since Bath is full of old people on holiday and doesn't have much of a nightlife. 

In the morning I did another free walking tour (thank god for the inventor of free walking tours, I owe them my life, or at least several hundred dollars) and saw all the amazing architecture of Bath. I was almost getting sick of being told about the architecture but there was something really cool about Bath. Most of the buildings have a beautiful facade making them look uniform, but behind everyone created the house however they wanted. I love that from the front it is beautiful but behind is a shamble. 

After a long debate as to weather we should go get pampered at the thermal spa or go see the ancient roman baths, I decided since I was in Bath I should probably see the famous baths. So after the tour and an amazing 3 pound picnic lunch I headed to the famous Roman Baths. They were interesting but not unlike a lot of other really old things I have seen in Europe. The most interesting part was the tour guide who kept making snide comments about how the council didn't pay him enough. It was strange to try the warm spring water afterwards, although I only had a sip.

The next day, in absolutely perfect weather, I took a bus to Stonehenge and back. Despite all the people, Stonehenge was an amazing sight and I proceeded to ask 5 different people to take photos of me at different angles (the worst thing about travelling alone is not being able to be in your photos!)

I spent the weekend back in London seeing friends from home and discovering the hip areas of London with my cousin. It was the best way to end the travelling leg of my European adventure

Early Monday morning I took the Eurostar and arrived in Paris after so many months of planning and anticipation. I had a mixture of nerves and excitement meeting my new family. They are super nice but it will take a bit of getting used to, three days in and I am already feeling more comfortable. The language barrier is quite difficult, especially when you have a screaming 4 year old who doesn't want to take a bath and doesn't understand much of what you say. However, I am already starting to meet lots of new people and it helps to have Luey here going through the same thing as me. I think I will like it here.

Maintenant, je suis fatiguee, donc, bonsoir mes amis.

A demain.

bisoux

xxx