hey i just got here, and this is crazy

salut tout le monde. It feels like the beginning all over again because I've been a busy little beaver trying to make the most of these last days! This week has been really great (other than the daunting thought of my departure looming over my head). But I've really been taking advantage of my museum pass this week; with that being said, I've been to four new museums in the past three days. Gosh. I'm so exhausted. There's only so much pretending to understand art a girl can do in a week. But everything is always so interesting to see. The museums I went to were:

1. Musée du Quai Branly
2. Musée de l'Orangerie
3. Musée Marmotton Monet
4. Musée de l'Art Moderne

Know any? Me either. They're all very small. The first museum listed I went to because they currently have a tattoo exhibit! How interesting. It showed tattoos from the 16th century - today, and almost everyone at the exhibit was tatted. Like this guy...

I can't even tell you how many tattooed butts they had. Nice.

Next, I went to Orangerie, which is a tiny museum located in the Jardin de Tuileries, which is a huge park in front of the Louvre. It's a famous museum because it has Monet's "Waterlilies" in a giant circular room. 

Next! I went to Musée Marmotton with my art class. My teacher warned us it would be full of the "old ladies of the 16th." Meaning the 16th arrondissement, which is the wealthiest one in Paris. He was right. Our class were the only people under 60. But the museum was beautiful. Full of Monet. 

And lastly today I went to the modern art museum of Paris. I always like modern art museums because they are just SO bizarre and I don't understand anything at all so it really just throws me off. Kind of fun? 

In other news, I also visited this gigantic park on the outskirts of Paris. I know I call things huge and giant a lot, but this time I'm serious. To get an idea, my host mom told me that she keeps her horse that she owns in the stables at this park. Wow. I didn't see any horses but I walked for probably over a mile around this little lake and it was gorgeous. I'm really going to miss the parks here!! 

my friends looking sentimental

That's about all the new things I've seen this week! I have many more plans for these last days in Paris. I need to see everything! Unfortunately I also have exams next week so I'll have to find the willpower to sit down with my notes for some time. :( 

Quick venting session: Not everything is peaches and cream. I haven't said much about them but I'm completely disappointed with my host family :( Some examples of why:

• we don't talk unless I start the conversation
• my host sister will be in the same room as me, hasn't seen me in a week and won't say Hi
• my "dinner once a week" has been steak and potatoes for the past five weeks
• the past like 20 weeks I've had dinner alone
• my host mom asked me if my nose ring was new, that's how little we talk

I hate to sound ungrateful but I can just imagine how much I'd do with a foreign exchange student if they'd stay at my house.

Until next time!

Fun fact: Parisian's work out clothes are so nice that they're clothes I'd wear to school.