Today celebrates the end of my first week in Paris

So, I've realized that I don't blog very often. I'm attempting to fix this this problem starting today.

My first week at Sciences Po was really great. I met a ton of international students during the Welcome Programme for all over the world but mostly the US and Australia. There are 88 Australians on this program! This week was full of exploration, parties, and methodology.

When I wasn't in class I would just roam around St. Germain des Pres or other parts of Paris. There were also several activities that Sciences Po planned. On Wednesday I went the Louvre with bunch of people and took a tour. So fun, but the Mona Lisa is very small and not the most spectacular piece in there. The tour was a bit short because we were going to be late for out boat ride on the Seine River. So, I definitely plan on going back to see the rest of the exhibits - probably on a Friday night when it's free for students. If you want to come, let me know! The boat ride was great and the view of Paris at night is spectacular!

Sciences Po also organized a bunch of parties for us this week. My WP group went out for crepes and then to the 'Melting Potes' event at a local bar. It was a way of meeting the international students. It was ok, not as integrative as it could have been because everyone was still pairing up with people from their home universities. We also had a party on Thursday night at the Wagg Club called "It's better when it's French." I did enjoy that party even though I was exhausted the next morning at my 9am methodology class. Parties here start so late. This didn't start until 11pm and lasted until 5am. I got home around 4 and crashed, but it was a great way to meet people. We played a pairs game where you got the name of a "couple" (ex. Ken and Barbie, Bill Clinton and Monica L., Belle Gross and Beaux Gross) and you had to find your pair.

Then there's methodology-- AH! I'm so happy that I'm participating in the Welcome Programme because I hadn't I would be in serious trouble. They have been teaching us how to write dissertations, exposes, fiche techniqies, fiches de lectures, and commentaires de text. These are the 5 types of assignments we will get. Their system is a bit more critical than ours, but what gets me is their way of thinking. They come from a very different thought process than we do, which is great and I'm learning a lot, but it means that I'm going to have to work at structuring essays and giving presentations the French way. In some cases, their way does make a lot more sense than the American way. For example, in an essay, they give an intro, pros and cons to the topic and then write the thesis. It makes so much more sense than writing a thesis and then supporting it, I think.

It's crazy and I'm not looking forward to the first class because as I told some people, it's pretty much required that I look up every single one of my classes and the general topics of everything I'm learning so that I can choose my exposes and fiche techniques during the first class. Gregoire my WP prof. said that the first class is a very cut throat because people just shout out which exercises they want and half the battle is knowing which topics are good one. The other half is planning so that they are not all on the same week, or else we'll fail. But I'm sure everything will be fine and I will spend all of Monday and Tuesday doing that for my lectures on Wednesday!

Today though is a pretty calm day. I am going on a scavenger hunt with around Paris starting at La Tour Eiffel and catching up with some friends. My cell phone also came in the mail last evening so I'm happy to say that I can now communicate with friends in Paris and my host family. Anyway, I should probably get started with my day because it's 11:30am and all I have only watched Criminal Minds online and written this blog. Time for a Scavenger Hunt!!!