This is that story.
Well, I guess I'll begin at the beginning.
But first, I should explain something about myself.
I'm not very gray when it comes to some things.
I'm black or white, hot or cold, l'un ou l'autre.
That being said, when some of the group planned a day trip to Versailles for one early Saturday morning, I knew I'd either be too early or too late.
I was the former.
We decided to meet in front of the rhinoceros statue at Musée D'Orsay.
When I got there it was just me and rhino for a bit.
Soon, a mec walked by. He said "Bonjour."
"Bonjour," I replied.
"Tu parles français?"
"Un peu."
He walked over.
I know, this is one of several instances in my blog where I get in conversations with random male strangers.
C'est pas grave.
I don't get creeped out too easily.
Unlike most girls, I'm not afflicted with I'm-afraid-everyone's-gonna-rape-me-because-I'm-so-beautiful syndrome.
But I still have some sense. I can tell who the normals are.
He looked about my age and was pretty nice.
I can't remember the conversation too well, but I think somehow me being American came up.
He asked something in French.
Not sure what look I gave him, but if it was any reflection of my brain it was a confused one.
It took a second for my brain to unlock the words.
I think he might have said something along the lines of tu fais quoi ici or what are you doing here.
Oh!
I said something along the lines of je vais rencontrer mes amis.
I think he gestured to the building behind us. He told me he worked at the museum.
Nice.
Musée D'Orsay is kind of awesome. For further explanation, see my post entitled "L'Art. "
Anyways, I can't remember much else of our very short conversation (en français). Soon he headed toward the museum.
It was me and rhino again.
Soon, Kelly and Emily arrived ( like I said earlier, most of the students live in pairs).
We headed over to a café just a few steps from our spot.
It was also a tabac.
Yesss.
You see, I was already out of credit on my SIM card. If you remember "Portfeuille" then you know I lost my wallet. Well, I immediately called my mom afterward to tell her to cancel my credit card.
The phone had been acting up since then (spoiler alert: It was operator error).
I only mention all of this because le tabac sells cards (they're basically like little tobacco stores).
I only mention all of this because le tabac sells cards (they're basically like little tobacco stores).
Anyways, we proceeded to have an awkward/lost in translation affair with the café/tabac.
It was painful, but long story short, I bought my carte sim after finally realizing I had to go back outside to the front.
Emily bought a coffee and tried to sit down, but the lady was not having it.
It was painful, but long story short, I bought my carte sim after finally realizing I had to go back outside to the front.
Emily bought a coffee and tried to sit down, but the lady was not having it.
Oops.
Unlike back home, "for here" and "to go" are all but interchangeable. If you say "à emporter" you're gonna have to head out. If you want la chaise to be graced with your derrière's presence you have to say "sur place."
And that, like many nice things in life, is not free.
Anyways, I think we pissed them off enough for the morning, so I decided not to get a coffee too and we headed back toward the statue.
Soon, the whole group showed up and we boarded the train to Versailles.
I was mellow. I looked out a train window as the city of Paris passed before my eyes.
Then, I heard the unmistakably loud ring of an accordion.
A sax joined in.
Train musicians.
This happens regularly on the metro too. Musicians just start randomly playing on the train and pass a cup around afterward.
I'm not gonna lie. It was poppin'. I wish I actually gave them something.
Some people weren't having it though. All the noise in the morning annoyed them, I suppose.
Anyways, we eventually got to Versailles and bought a ticket that gave us access to a lot of stuff: the palace, the gardens, the fountain show.
We entered the gate to Versailles.
So. Much. Gold.
When you actually see it in person and realize how long ago such an impressive palace existed, you really start to realize why the people of France freaked out. *cue Les Mis soundtrack*
I mean, I'm not justifying the beheadings, but to live in abject poverty while the royals lived like that, I mean wow.
Wow is pretty accurate.
I couldn't believe the history I was walking through.
I saw where Louis XIV slept.
Louis XIV.
Like, really?
Anyways, I could tell you all about the amazing French history I was walking through and how ridiculous it was to be in Marie Antoinette's bedroom in Versailles.
Believe me, it was.
But that's not what makes a go-to study abroad story. Louis XIV and Marie Antoinette have their own story at Versailles, and I have mine.
So without further ado, here it is.
Like I mentioned earlier, our tickets gave us access to the fountain show, so we weren't about to miss out on it.
It started at 3:30 p.m.
By the time we headed over there, there was already a crowd sitting by the side of the fountain. A lot of folks had their feet in the water to cool off.
We also took a seat.
As inviting as the water looked, I kept my shoes on because I don't think wet feet and Keds are a good combination.
Anyways, we waited.
And waited.
And waited.
And then the fountains turned on.
After a while, we realized that the fountains turned on at 3:30 p.m. and some music played but that was about it. We concluded the real show is in the evening.
It was time to leave.
I hopped up to go.
Somehow, the left foot of my shoe fell into the fountain.
What?
I just watched it float away, thinking about how embarrassing this was.
And how much I looked like a stupid American tourist.
I was gonna reach for it, but I mean, I can't fall into the fountain too.
None of us knew what to do.
Then an older French man tried to help me reach for it.
I went on the ground and tried to extend, while he held my hand to keep me steady so I didn't fall into the fountain.
Still too far.
He recommended I move my hand to get the shoe to float in my direction.
"Comme ça! Comme ça!" he made a little paddling gesture
"Comme ça?" I responded. Trying to do the same thing.
Still, to no avail.
I stood back up, looking at my solitary shoe in Apollo's Chariot.
Soon, the girls in the group tried to keep me steady. The man waited for a while to see if I got it, but soon he left.
Still too far.
Sort of across from us, a guy and a lady next to him started kicking their feet to make the shoe move in my direction.
We were attracting quite a bit of attention by now.
The girls held on to me to keep me steady.
I reached and reached and
a little closer...
almost there...
Got it.
I grasped my shoe.
Then I lifted it high into the air.
The crowd cheered.
The man smiled and said (in what sounded like a French accent) you owe me a pair of shoes!
So I put on the wet shoe and we continued our trip. But nothing could compete with Apollo's Chariot.
We never saw much of a fountain show.
Actually...
I guess I was the fountain show.
P.S.
Please don't Daniel Tosh me for that comment I made at the beginning. I take woman abuse very seriously.
P.S.S.
All right. So right after I got my shoe I found out that Cassidy took a picture during the chaos. So this is documented forever. Below is me and the "comme ça" guy. If you look closely, I think the guy in the blue shirt and the girl in the white might have been the ones who kicked the shoe to me.
Enjoy.
Unlike back home, "for here" and "to go" are all but interchangeable. If you say "à emporter" you're gonna have to head out. If you want la chaise to be graced with your derrière's presence you have to say "sur place."
And that, like many nice things in life, is not free.
Anyways, I think we pissed them off enough for the morning, so I decided not to get a coffee too and we headed back toward the statue.
Soon, the whole group showed up and we boarded the train to Versailles.
I was mellow. I looked out a train window as the city of Paris passed before my eyes.
Then, I heard the unmistakably loud ring of an accordion.
A sax joined in.
Train musicians.
This happens regularly on the metro too. Musicians just start randomly playing on the train and pass a cup around afterward.
I'm not gonna lie. It was poppin'. I wish I actually gave them something.
Some people weren't having it though. All the noise in the morning annoyed them, I suppose.
Anyways, we eventually got to Versailles and bought a ticket that gave us access to a lot of stuff: the palace, the gardens, the fountain show.
We entered the gate to Versailles.
So. Much. Gold.
When you actually see it in person and realize how long ago such an impressive palace existed, you really start to realize why the people of France freaked out. *cue Les Mis soundtrack*
I mean, I'm not justifying the beheadings, but to live in abject poverty while the royals lived like that, I mean wow.
Wow is pretty accurate.
I couldn't believe the history I was walking through.
I saw where Louis XIV slept.
Louis XIV.
Like, really?
Anyways, I could tell you all about the amazing French history I was walking through and how ridiculous it was to be in Marie Antoinette's bedroom in Versailles.
Believe me, it was.
But that's not what makes a go-to study abroad story. Louis XIV and Marie Antoinette have their own story at Versailles, and I have mine.
So without further ado, here it is.
Like I mentioned earlier, our tickets gave us access to the fountain show, so we weren't about to miss out on it.
It started at 3:30 p.m.
By the time we headed over there, there was already a crowd sitting by the side of the fountain. A lot of folks had their feet in the water to cool off.
We also took a seat.
As inviting as the water looked, I kept my shoes on because I don't think wet feet and Keds are a good combination.
Anyways, we waited.
And waited.
And waited.
And then the fountains turned on.
After a while, we realized that the fountains turned on at 3:30 p.m. and some music played but that was about it. We concluded the real show is in the evening.
It was time to leave.
I hopped up to go.
Somehow, the left foot of my shoe fell into the fountain.
What?
I just watched it float away, thinking about how embarrassing this was.
And how much I looked like a stupid American tourist.
I was gonna reach for it, but I mean, I can't fall into the fountain too.
None of us knew what to do.
Then an older French man tried to help me reach for it.
I went on the ground and tried to extend, while he held my hand to keep me steady so I didn't fall into the fountain.
Still too far.
He recommended I move my hand to get the shoe to float in my direction.
"Comme ça! Comme ça!" he made a little paddling gesture
"Comme ça?" I responded. Trying to do the same thing.
Still, to no avail.
I stood back up, looking at my solitary shoe in Apollo's Chariot.
Soon, the girls in the group tried to keep me steady. The man waited for a while to see if I got it, but soon he left.
Still too far.
Sort of across from us, a guy and a lady next to him started kicking their feet to make the shoe move in my direction.
We were attracting quite a bit of attention by now.
The girls held on to me to keep me steady.
I reached and reached and
a little closer...
almost there...
Got it.
I grasped my shoe.
Then I lifted it high into the air.
The crowd cheered.
The man smiled and said (in what sounded like a French accent) you owe me a pair of shoes!
So I put on the wet shoe and we continued our trip. But nothing could compete with Apollo's Chariot.
We never saw much of a fountain show.
Actually...
I guess I was the fountain show.
P.S.
Please don't Daniel Tosh me for that comment I made at the beginning. I take woman abuse very seriously.
P.S.S.
All right. So right after I got my shoe I found out that Cassidy took a picture during the chaos. So this is documented forever. Below is me and the "comme ça" guy. If you look closely, I think the guy in the blue shirt and the girl in the white might have been the ones who kicked the shoe to me.
Enjoy.
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