Between Us..

Hello.

2013-05-17T09:29:00.001-05:00

Hello all lovely readers,

I shall inform you that this blog has moved over here... A bit of rebranding. I shall keep this blog that holds all my beautiful memories of that year I spent in Europe. However, we cannot live in the past, so a new blog has been made to continue life after France.

It was a bad breakup, France is the love of my life.

Come over and take a look.

naoma*

New Years Resolutions

2013-01-16T10:30:00.001-06:00

Summer..

2012-05-04T23:43:00.001-05:00

Beloved readers,

This is my first summer in Oklahoma since the year 2008. Is that believable? I have been looking forward to summer so much this last semester mainly so that I could get away from Design school for a few months... but on the other hand I was depressed about the whole having to be here all summer kind of thing... yet... I am very much looking forward to it now. Why? You might ask... well, I have a few plans that I am so excited about.

1 - going to Chicago with two of my best friends for a few days.. I have never been there but I have heard wonderful things about it!
2 - One of my really good friends from Europe is coming to visit me for two weeks.. it will be such a blast.. spending a week with him and my american friends in Austin! What is not to love about that?
3 - Actually having time to organize my room and my roommate and I are planning a little fixer-upper projects for our house.
5 - Margarita nights with some friends whom I have been wanting to stay in touch with but have had zero time for.

What are you looking forward to this summer?

Here is the beginning of Summer Margarita nights.. celebrating friends bdays and end of semesters [on a good note.]

naoma*

Thirty before 30!

2012-05-02T15:37:00.001-05:00

Why hello old friends,

It has been a long long time, and I am sorry for that. But Summer has begun for me so you shall see me quite a bit more in this neck of the woods.

As my 24th birthday is approaching, I decided to make a Thirty before 30 list! Now, this is an intensive list so be prepared.

1 - Ride in a Hot Air Balloon.
2 - Ride the Transiberian Train
3 - Learn Italian [my fifth language]
4 - Get a new car [this is only valid if I do not end up living in Europe.]
5 - Go back to Paris.
6 - Live in Europe
7 - Start my career / become a successful designer.
8 - Take more videos of my life.
9 - Grand Canyon trip.
10 - Roadtrip with my 'girl friends'
11 - Ride a Gondola in Venice.
12 - Go on a cruise.
13 - Go to India!
14 - Go to Carnival in Rio de Janeiro
15 - Own a pair of Chanel Shoes
16 - Ride a Camel in Egypt.
17 - Learn how to make my own wine.
18 - Go to a music festival
19 - Go to an Opera in Vienna
20 - Learn more about French cuisine.
21- Write a book [more like an outline]
22 - Visit the Parthenon in Greece.
23 - Get my palm read.
24 - Be a maid of honor
25 - Ride an elephant
26 - See a Broadway musical
27 - Finance my student loans
28 - Fly a kite
29 - Blog more
30 - Never let fear get in the way of something grand.

Do you have a list like this? I believe everybody should.

naoma*

New Series: ...

2011-08-18T00:40:00.001-05:00

If many of you know me in person or at least some what well.. you would know that book worm doesn't even cut it when it comes to what I am... I don't just take books in.. I devour them. You would know that I am a book afficionado. You would know that one of my favorite things is having a good glass of wine with a good book in a comfy corner and spending the evening in silence, well almost silence. The only things that would cut the silence would be the flipping of the yellow-y pages, the noise made by the swirl of my wine glass, the clink of the wine glass being set on the table.

When I came back from Europe, one of my good friends J. gave me a book called "Paris Hangover" by Kristen Lobe. Now, I am a big fan of classical literature... that's what I really love. However, from time to time a good fluff book is in need to just not have to think too much as you read. I finished this book last night... now, there were parts where I was like: "What the hell? This girl is dumb! Why would you ever think that a guy named: Fabrizio would be French... he is obviously Italian." However, I got over the little picky details that I always manage to find.. and kept reading. It reminded me of my life in France so much... it wasn't even funny. I think the reason I enjoyed this book so much was probably because the author describes the city of Paris and certain parts of Paris.. and hey, I know them. I've been there... there is a great crêperie around there, or that is that one café that I went to with A, etc... I can think of a million and one stories about Paris... I can tell you all about the hidden treasures I have found.. or simply the crazy stories I have managed to have.. So, that inspired me for the next series.. quite simple really: Paris.

I shall start writing this weekend. I will make a french dessert and some wine and will jot down all my memories and experiences and loves in Paris.

Hope you are prepared!

naoma*

Journal Entry no.13

2011-08-11T13:02:00.003-05:00

June 19^th, 2011.

What hasn’t happened this past week!? I had a long, long, long, journey from France to Switzerland.. pff… but I loved seeing my family all reunited. Seeing Aunt M. and Uncle L. was great! It had been such a long time but it seemed like nothing or no time, shall I say, had passed at all. Then A came and spent time with us. K took Aunt M, Uncle L and myself on a 29 KM bike ride in the Swiss mountains. It was amazing… we also got to see the Tour de Suisse [my second time to catch them actually.] Uncle L. was super excited about that. The wedding was fantastic! My second German – esque wedding.

There are tons more pictures but these are my top favorites :)

Journal Entry no.12

2011-08-09T14:14:00.003-05:00

June 12^th, 2011.

On the train to Paris to catch my other train to Switzerland. I am so excited to see my family! I can’t believe it’s been almost a year since I’ve seen them!

The journey has been long, due to strikes, of course… France would give me some last strikes just before I leave!

I can’t believe the end is so close. I have a total of four days left in Amiens plus one week in Paris… so little time. It is so scary. The people here, in France, have become more than friends for me. They are like my family, when I didn’t have mine here to turn to. I want to try to move back to Europe! A.S.A.P. I’ve never felt so at home or comfortable in my own skin before… it is like I’ve finally proven to myself that I can stand on my own two feet.

Random Note: Saw a man in a transparent t-shirt at the train station in Geneva.. not pretty!

[This series is coming to an end... one more Journal Entry and we will begin with the next series.- Cities- Presenting random facts and photos of cities I've been to in Europe and out of Europe.]

Journal Entry no.11

2011-08-08T12:44:00.006-05:00

June 11^th, 2011.

My friends threw me a Surprise Birthday Party last night; it was very sweet and unexpected. Everybody sang Happy Birthday in all their own languages. It was great, they bought me a bag and my Chanel Red Lipstick trademark of mine.

à la prochaine...

naoma*

Journal Entry no. 10

2011-08-02T11:06:00.001-05:00

May 27^th, 2011.

Sleep hasn’t been my friend lately; it doesn’t seem to arrive at an easy hour, yet it lets me lie there in the shadows of my tiny room until 5a.m. On May 16^th, I finally managed to fall a slumber around 2a.m., which is quite amazing. Yet, has fate would have it… inspiration struck me like an arrow and this is what has come out of this inspirational hour:

“Why does inspiration always come in the middle of the night? Who knows, but I know the best thing you could do is obey it. Writing is so much simpler away from a computer, it’s natural, and it is soothing to hear the pen glide over the paper as if they have been separated for a long, long time maybe too long.

Writing is a sense of therapy I have… mainly because I always have a million thoughts running around my mind all day… mainly worrying about the future… even though I know I shouldn’t.”

Journal Entry no.9

2011-08-02T11:05:00.000-05:00

May 26^th, 2011.

First day to rain in Amiens in such a long time… I feel like the weather matches my soul; part sunny part a tempest. Why? Because of many reasons... Some I don’t even know of. It’s times like these that I wish I could talk to B, my great grandmother; I feel my life is all up in the air.

Here I am, just like the weather… Journal, sometimes I wish you could write back to me and help me with life decision. You would have wise advise even though sometimes I would probably not like it. I am almost 23 and still have no idea what is going on, not even remotely.

Journal Entry no. 8 - Koninginnedag

2011-07-31T13:56:00.006-05:00

May 9^th, 2011

Queen’s Day in Amsterdam was AMAZING! Indescribable! A & I danced in the middle of the streets! There were so many people. I had never seen so much orange in my entire life! There was music everywhere. People everywhere. Party boats on the canal. Dutch fast food, need I say more!?

In front of the French Embassy in Amsterdam!

I think the pictures pretty much explain themselves...

Journal Entry no. 7

2011-07-30T12:42:00.000-05:00

April 27^th, 2011.

Travelling is stressful! Especially when you don’t have your own car to get you to the station. I like the spontaneous trips… like the one A & I took yesterday when we went to Lille. [pictures here]

Yesterday I went to Lille with AN. Such a beautiful city, it reminds me of Belgium and Holland combined. We found a Mexican restaurant [and if you have ever been to Europe.. you know those are hard to come by!] this place was like a Chipotle [found in the US of A.] I don’t even care… I’ll take it at this point! Delicious! This semester has been full of adventures: Bordeaux, Biarritz, Paris, Disney, Marseille, Lille, and now the Netherlands.

Why is traveling so stressful? I don’t mean the little daytrips I mean the trip that has been planned for a while! The one with bookings, and reservations with certain times, those are the ones I speak of. Another thing that makes things so stressful to travel in Europe is the fact that I am officially carless. Seriously if I had a car, I would have made my train to Paris this morning! Now, the next train to Paris arrives at 12h20 and my train to Rotterdam leaves Paris at 12h25. Damn! I have FIVE minutes with luggage; sleep deprivation, and bad shoes to make it on my train. However, when you make it to your train and you are seated this immense relief comes over you. I’m excited about this upcoming trip though. Four days in the Netherlands with my Dutch friend, A! Exploring the countryside, the city of Leiden, and celebrating Queen’s Day in Amsterdam… sounds perfect! Doesn’t it?

So there I was bursting out of the train with orange suitcase flying behind me. I was scampering down the platform in search for the huge “Departures” sign so that it would inform me of what platform I was supposed to be on like ten minutes ago. As I’m running, my black ballet flat goes skidding across the train station floor. Awesome! [Sense the sarcasm please.] Orange suitcase loosing balance on its wheels behind me, little bag strapped across my chest, and shoes in hand I am running, I mean booking it, to my platform to jump on the train. My cardigan is off my shoulders flaunting the newly received freckles/tan due to all those afternoons sitting in the park with a book. As I find my ‘Voiture’ 15, the train cart, I feel my stomach drop into its correct place rather than lodged in my throat where it had been for the entire train ride from Amiens to Paris. I am comfortable in my red & maroon velvet chair speeding along the northern French countryside to meet up with my friend A in merely two hours time.

It is still hard for me to believe that I have spent the past ten months of my life in Europe. I know I will never have a year like this and cannot believe the incredible experience I’ve attained and the amazing people I’ve met that have made me so much more open an cultural than the person I was before Europe.

Journal Entry no. 6

2011-07-28T14:44:00.001-05:00

July 17^th, 2011.

Last night was fun! A & I went to a Fête de la Bastille pot luck. It was a lot of fun… Then I had a mini house warming party, which was really nice just between close friends and good drinks and fun games.

Well, it seems things are finally falling back into place. I got my transcript from France… all A’s & B’s! Woot! I was finally accepted into the Design program at UCO, so once courses open up I will be enrolled. I also got my insurance for my car… big step! I also took a test with the career services at UCO and turns out I’m supposed to be a Medical Technician. [Those of you who know me personally will find this hilarious.] I am probably the last person in the world you want around your medical records or sticking needles into you. Trust me on this one; it is not a talent of mine. I believe the test lies! Every other time I’ve taken this test it says I’m supposed to be a Psychologist; also a hilarious option. I guess things will be ‘clear’ once I see my counselor on Monday.

[It's probably not a good idea to finish a blog post with the following sentence: "I guess things will be 'clear' once I see my counselor on Monday." - but this isn't like every other blog is it?]

Journal Entry no. 5

2011-07-28T14:42:00.002-05:00

July 10^th, 2011

I’m thinking of getting back into Graphic Design and leave Oklahoma soon. I mean it’s dead obvious that I don’t belong. I was looking up graphic design schools in Rhode Island, Virginia, New York, California, and some other places. Maybe I’ll get accepted to a great place! I guess I’ll see where life takes me.

By the way- it was 105º today! Pfff.. Talk about heat stroke?

Journal Entry no. 4

2011-07-28T14:41:00.003-05:00

July 8^th, 2011

America is making me a morning person. I woke up at 7 a.m. yesterday and today at 6:15 a.m. I can’t believe it! Yesterday when I woke up I thought I was in a dream and wasn’t quite sure where I was… it was really freaky. I also drove a car for the first time in 13 months! Now, talk about disaster. I eventually got the hang of things.

Today I started moving into the Condo. It is crazy to have a space so big. I have no idea how I am going to fill it up. I have a small selection of books, and even smaller selection of DVD’s, lots of postcards, one picture, and a Paris mug. Insane! Everything that is at my disposal so far is moved in. I’ve got all my paintings hanging; they’re all of the Eiffel Tower. So it’s like a French sanctuary. I have all my clothes hanging up; I didn’t even realize that I had seven coats! I love having a closet, an actual bathroom, and a proper kitchen! However, I’m terrified of living in such a big place all by myself. Everyone has different lives, working, boyfriends, other friends… Which is normal! I can’t wait to get my life back to normal, or whatever that means.

Journal Entry no. 3

2011-07-25T14:48:00.005-05:00

*Read these before this entry::
Bienvenue
Journal Entry no.1
Journal Entry no.2
** Caution: This Journal Entry was written on the plane ride home so.. it is quite long, since the plane ride was quite long.. You have been warned.**

July 6^th, 2011.

In the plane now about to depart… this is awful! I’m literally crying on this plane and people are starting to stare, I don’t even care! We are taking off; this is my favorite part of the whole trip. This plane is already one hour and twenty minutes late… awesome! I still have one more flight to catch. Nine and a half hours from Madrid to Chicago, two hours from Chicago to Oklahoma. Wretched!

I slept four hours and got up to get myself ready and dragged Y and myself to the metro with my two suitcases. We got to the airport two hours before my plane was to depart. There is a massive line to check your luggage and get your ticket. After about an hour and fifteen minutes I have one checked suitcase, one carryon, and my bag and am rushing towards security since I only have 45 minutes to get to my gate and get on the intercontinental flight. Let’s not even talk about security. After getting all my stuff organized after security I went to the boards to see from where my plane was departing. Terminal U, I am in Terminal L, which means I must take the trolley ordeal. Not only that, next to the gate number my plane is ‘Boarding’ Awesome! The trolley takes 20 minutes. I run into customs, after getting my seventh passport stamp [yay!] I am running through the airport, I believe I almost ran over a few elder ladies.. I am quite sorry about that but I barely made my plane. Why? Because the gate was the last one of Terminal U. Yes, gate 68! You read right… SIXTY-EIGHT! All that running to just be stuck on the plane for an hour parked! Great start to a trip, right?

So, now officially I’ve left Europe after almost 13 months! I’m flying across the Atlantic! Chicago t-minus 8 hours. Oklahoma t-minus 10 hours. I’m not excited. I’ve learned on this plane what I really love. How? Because in the movie “L’Auberge Espagnol” [Great Movie! If you haven’t seen it.. I don’t know why you are still reading this? That DVD should be in the player this instant.] The main character cries when he’s leaving home to do his Erasmus studies [Erasmus- is a European program for exchange students] and I am the one crying going back not when I was leaving [but it was also different. I knew I would see all of them and knew an exact date practically.] I’m crying because I’m leaving a part of me behind. I’ve made some awesome friends and had some amazing experiences I mean, I have stories to tell from this past year that people take their entire life to have.

It’s kind of weird being surrounded by so many Americans! It is also really weird knowing that I can use a debit card anywhere and using quarters, dimes, nickels, and pennies… and having only green bills that feel weird in your hand.

I’m already tired of being on this plane… but there is so much time left.. Ugh! Plus this is the first time I’ve ever been on this big of trip all by myself. Well, I guess I am different person than 13 months ago. Crazy how many things and how many different turns life gives you in just one year. I feel so much older and I’m only one year older! Life goes by too fast… food is here. Bye.

            No one ever knows the answers to many things in life.. One of my favorite quotes is “Don’t search for the answer, but rather learn to love the questions themselves as if they were locked rooms, or books written in a very foreign language. Live the questions because the point is to live everything. And maybe, one day, without knowing it, you will grow into the answer.” I think that is the best quote for my life right now!

            I still have like 4 ½ hours on this damn plane! Well I still have movies… I will need a hobby when I get back to the O.K. since la fête pour moi evidement c’est fini. [the party for me is evidently over.] I plan to start learning German. Reasons:
                                    One- To understand part of my family.

Two- So that I can have more possibilities to work in Europe if I can speak the top four languages: English, Spanish, French and German.

I have ink stains all over my hands. I guess that just makes me a writing enthusiast, a writer or just deeply disturbed with need to fill pages with my weird thought, but I guess that is what writers do… we just have so much to say but some things can’t be said they can only be read. You know like the sacred bond of trust between the writer and the reader. Most of the things in my journals should never be spoken… it is too random… my thought process runs away with itself and I cant eve keep up with it sometimes. Why should these things be spoken? Well, it’s a trust issue. These are the thoughts deep in my head that rarely emerge in conversations. They are kept secrets between you and my insane mind. I guess I’ve always been the oddball in the family for many reasons… But I like being different, just like I like people that are different too. If you are like everyone else you have nothing to offer or bring to the table. But I also think my weirdness/independence sometimes scares people. I can come off too strong..- I don’t like labels... I feel they put people in categories and we aren’t supposed to be placed somewhere... We are all subjective.

Journal Entry no. 2

2011-07-25T14:47:00.003-05:00

*Read these before reading this entry::
Bienvenue
Journal Entry no.1

July 5^th, 2011.

This is so depressing, my last day in Europe. I’m excited to see everyone once more but I’m not excited to leave everyone here! I feel like these people are such a major part of me. How am I supposed to go back and act like nothing has happened? I guess that’s what I’m mainly worried about. I’m in love with Madrid. Madrid is such a lively, beautiful city, which kind of reminds me of Mexico which is so nice… I want to move here.

Part II:

This really sucks. I just finished packing. I really don’t want to go… could they give me one more extra day? Oh well! Last night in Europe, it’s all or nothing! I shall write tomorrow, especially since I will be on a 9 ½ hour flight and I will probably be bored. Actually I know I will be!

Journal Entry no. 1

2011-07-25T14:46:00.004-05:00

*Read this before reading this entry::
Bienvenue

July 3^rd, 2011.

Overall, this has been the best year of my life… I wouldn’t trade it for the world. The people I’ve met here have changed my life forever. This year hasn’t only been about fun; it has been about self-discovery. I have learned so many things from cultures & languages to discovering a new sense of awareness that I would have never of learned in the States or Mexico. I have truly learned and accepted that I am not like most Americans. This year has also allowed me to realize that I’m not an oddball or black sheep, I just happened to have been born on the wrong continent. I’ve learned that I tend to get along with or relate to Europeans better. I’ve learned that life isn’t easy but that if the right people surround you that life seems worthwhile no matter how tough it may be. I’ve also learned that one of the hardest things to do in life is to say ‘good bye’ to people that hold such a special place in your life/heart… especially when the next rendezvous date is unknown. But the thing that this year has enlightened me most is that my mission is to move to Europe indefinitely. I hope. Hope! Hope is all us mere mortals have to hold on to…

2011-07-25T14:44:00.002-05:00

Chères Amis,

I have been awfully bad at keeping up with this blog, I am terribly sorry. However, I have been keeping up with my journal… so not all is lost. I plan on publishing a few of my own journal entries here for you to read all about the adventures amuck’ Europe.

I am afraid to say, I am back in the good ol’ U S of A. Exciting? Not quite. I will start by going backwards until I last left you hanging. I’m sure most of you by now have actually already forgotten about this blog. But dear friends, I have many experiences yet to share with you. Although I no longer am in Europe I still have many things to tell you… I still have many memories of the beloved continent where I spent 13 straight months of my life. I hope you are as excited about this literary adventure as much as I am to share it with you, who ever you may be.

Eurotrip Adventures Part III

2011-05-08T14:26:00.002-05:00

As Breah and I were fully rested for our Parisian adventure, we had many sights to cram into a very small amount of time. So… easiest way to see all of Paris in two days... Bus tour. We woke up and dragged all our suitcases back down the flights of stairs and jumped on the Métro to go to Gare du Lyon to leave them in the lockers. After the hauling and heaving and hyperventilating we made it to the lockers and scouted a nice little restaurant and had the most amazing Gratin Dauphinoise. Once our bellies were about to explode we jumped on the bus and toured Paris. Getting most of the sights in and enjoying our time together. Around 14h or 2 p.m., I started receiving text messages from friends saying they were arriving in Paris to catch our train that night to Marseilles. We bought some souvenirs for Breah. As soon as we meet up with some of my friends An, S, & E, we run to the train station [Gare du Lyon] and meet up with H to jump on our three hour train ride to Marseilles in first class. Now, Marseilles is where the fun really starts…

To be continued.

Here are some pictures from Paris... :)

The Sacrée Coeur after going to the Fondue place.. [I've got no strings to hold me up- That is what you will sing after climbing all the stairs.]

This is self explanatory.

The Eiffel Tower Sparkling.. so impressive.

Les Invalides. [Napoleons tomb is in there.]

The Opera House. Gorgeous!

Can you find Waldo in France?

naoma*

Eurotrip Adventures Part II

2011-05-05T11:21:00.002-05:00

Next morning, trying to fight the jetlag and the fact that Breah and I love sleep we drag ourselves out of bed at 7:30 in the morning. I still need to Pack for our massive trip to Marseilles for five days. It’s so early in the morning I’m not even sure of what I am putting into my suitcase. After bags are packed and room is semi-clean; Breah and I go hunt down some coffee with fresh croissants to have a little breakfast before venturing out on our excursion to Paris.

Arriving in Paris we track down where are bloody hotel is, which is near a metro, Thank God! We get to the hotel and when they place the key in my hand with the number 35 on it we go searching for the elevator. Well, the elevator is out of order. Why does this still shock me? We are in Paris; this is quite usual in these certain circumstances. Now, for those of you who are not aware of how the French handle their étages or shall I say floors. The number 35 is not on the American third floor, it is on the French third floor; which is on the American fourth floor. Yes Ladies and Gents, Breah and I hiked up to the fourth floor with two suitcases each plus our purses or bags for you English people who read. Collapse on the bed! We explore the room, or the free space between the bed and the mini shower. The bathroom is a shared bathroom with the floor and we have a mini shower were you can’t turn inside of it. Yay for petit chambres!

Now, to get some sandwiches to crave our hunger until dinnertime, mission practically impossible. Why? Because in France you eat when it is eating time, not when you are hungry. So if you want lunch around 4 p.m. forget it! Lunchtime is between 12 o’clock and 2:30 p.m. sometimes if you are lucky till 3 o’clock. After almost an hour wandering we find a sandwich/café place. Thank God, caffeine, and nourishment in one place. Now we are ready to set off and explore Paris.

-Stay tuned for part III

naoma*

Eurotrip Adventures Part I

2011-05-02T16:29:00.002-05:00

During these past two and a half weeks of vacation time here in France, I have managed to get myself into all sorts of cultural trouble. As you will find out if you dare to continue reading. I will divide the two and a half weeks vacation into five series.

Part I.

Some people see me as the responsible type of person. The girl that has a mission to get things checked off her to do list. It’s hard to be that person 24/7. It’s Exhausting! However, when important things are of the matter I do slip into my Ms. Responsibility suit. To begin this story, I must confess that one day that I needed to be my responsible self, I managed to let that stressed out person sleep in. Yes ladies and gentlemen, the one-day I need to be up at 7 a.m. to go to Paris and then go to the Charles de Gaulle airport to pick up my best friend is the one-day I let Ms. Responsibility sleep in.

In a panic I woke up at 10:30 a.m. My friend landed in Paris an hour ago, and I was an hour and a half away! Panic-stricken I smudged off the eyeliner under my eyes from the night before, threw on what ever I could find first. Out the door I went… as soon I arrived at the train station, I was in luck! The next train to Paris left in 5 minutes. I sat at the front of the train nervous and starting to get sick to my stomach. B is calling me now; I have been on the train for an hour. My mistake, I took the two hour train to Paris. Yes, the one that makes five stops in all these little villages towards Paris. I have one more hour to go and I convince her that she can meet me at the train station, the one that I will arrive at, Gare du Nord. I tell her the easiest route… take the RER B train to Paris Nord.

I arrive at the station searching for a red head full of curls. After thirty minutes of searching and countless men trying to hit on me at the train station [which is entirely creepy, if you have ever been to Gare du Nord you will understand what I mean.] I find her. Thank God! She has survived her first French experience. Her friend is ‘fashionably’ late to pick her up at the airport and she still decided to torture her more by making her travel the Paris Metro/Train system with suitcases in tow. Yes, I know, I am a pretty wretched friend but I tend to make up for it with my witty sense of humor.

We find a place to eat because we are both starving and it’s my treat, after all of the wretched friendness I must have a good side too. We head back to the train station to take the next train back to Amiens. And since we know that luck has been on my side during the entire day, the next train to Amiens is in four hours [which is rare indeed, there tends to be two at least every other hour one weekdays such as the one I find myself on.] We have four hours to kill, lets put the suitcases in lockers and see a bit of Paris and get a bit more French culture in, hopefully a better experience than the ones we’ve had so far.

In Amiens, I rush her out the door once more after she’s settled in to my room. I have two friends who are dying to meet her. At one of my favorite coffee shops in town B and I sit down waiting for my friends. I make her try some Ficelle Picardes, which is a traditional plate from the Picardie region, the one in which I live. My friends show up and we ended up staying out a bit longer than we had planned… oops.

Stay tuned for Part II.

naoma*

Friendly News

2011-05-01T13:03:00.002-05:00

Having friends from around the world is something I only used to dream about. Never in a million years did I ever think that some of my best friends would be from different countries that are on different continents and never would I have thought that these friends would not have English or Spanish as their mother tongue. It sounds weird to me, to call my family and when saying good bye to them with some of these sentences: “Hey, sorry I really have to run I’m meeting my Dutch friend for coffee like 5 minutes ago.” Or “Well tonight I plan on going out with my Norwegian friend and the Spanish girls…”

I have come to appreciate different cultures, foods, traditions, languages, personalities, political opinions, etc. from some of my very good friends that I ended up meeting in France. Some of my favorite topics of conversation have been trying to explain my cultures [that are completely different] to my new European friends. I love to hear the comparisons and their views on how things run in America and Mexico. Sincerely, I feel that I have learned something new everyday; when I lie down and close my eyes to go to sleep I can’t help but smile. I appreciate each and everyone of you.

naoma*

Blog Challenge: Day 24

2011-04-11T18:19:00.003-05:00

A childhood memory.

We always cherish our childhood memories and remember them with orange glows about them, at least mine, full of summers running in creeks, playing on the swings, eating tons of watermelon, playing skipit on my great grandmothers porch. But to choose one great childhood memory is near impossible... and sometimes quite distorted because we don't always remember it exactly, we have visions or blurs and the rest is filled in with photos and stories from relatives. However... I will share a memory that I have had recently.. that most people would have in their childhood. ...

The first time I went to DisneyLand. Yes, it was not too long ago. I went with five other good friends that I have met here in France and we spent the day being eight years old again... riding all the rides.. challenging our adrenaline rushes and eating all the candy our little hearts wanted.. with a few grown up coffee's in the mix :) It was such a fabulous day.. We went on every single roller coaster and met the French Mickey Mouse! :) This memory of Disney Land Paris now has its own orange glowy twinge to it.

after riding SpaceMountain.. who needs a blowdryer, when you have a rollercoaster to ride!?

Our dear friend H has been lying to us about his real persona... he's King Arthur.. I knew it!

naoma*

P.S. Enjoy being a child at heart... it erases unnecessary worry.

Blog Challenge: Day 23

2011-04-05T07:55:00.000-05:00

A travel story.

Since I have spent a total of 10 months [almost] abroad you would think I have plenty of great travel stories, and believe me I do! The challenge here is to pick one out that I haven't shared with you. I have shared the Eiffel Tower/Champs Elysées/Justin Timberlake story, the train departure with my friend on the train and me on the platform, the Bordeaux trip, adventures in Switzerland, etc. [You can read the blog to catch up.. ;)] But now, to share a juicy story of traveling, well.. not so easy now.

However, lately I have been super excited about the sun/spring/summer/beach/Marseille trip coming up/my best friend coming to visit... so I have been recently thinking about.. Florida. Now, you may ask yourselves why I am thinking of Florida when I am in the middle of western Europe and have amazing friends from literally all over the world.. but I can't help remember those summers [three years ago] when I went to Florida with my family for a summer...

Riding my bike along the coast and stopping in at charming book stores and reading out side, running to the beach, spending time with the family, enjoying my evening on the balcony while hearing the ocean slide its gentle waves against the sand and stone.. that is how my memories are fading. The waves of time slowly eroding the solid rocks of memory and turning them into sand.

naoma*

[later pictures from DisneyLand Paris.]