What? Free Time In Paris?

Outside FIAP with my brand new, bright red, totally French lipstick :)

Currently 3:25pm, and I'm free until 4pm. This is the most time I've had to hang out at the FIAP since I've been in Paris.

This morning, we went to Chinatown. My initial thoughts about going to Chinatown were as follows: I didn't choose the China program for a reason. I chose the France program for reasons, not including going to Chinatown. They take us to Chinatown, but not to the Louvre? If they don't want us to stand out as Americans, maybe they should avoid taking us to an area populated by Chinese people.

I'm actually really glad that we went afterall. I thought about my mom the entire time we were there. When we first got there, we walked around the streets, bought a bubble green tea (delicious), and then went inside a Buddhist temple. It was so awesome, and immediately made me feel at peace when I walked in. There's just a serene quality about the mix of incense, no shoes, and beautiful art. I loved being there, and I wished that Alec could have been there to tell me all about the different representations of the Buddha.

After the temple, we went into a Chinese market, where I bought peanut butter (not in a can!!!), a pineapple for 40 cents, a banana, and some weird sesame candy thing. I wished that Mama could have been there, because she would have LOVED it. I wanted to buy everything there just to send it back to her! Everything was in Chinese, and there were all these weird candies, fruits, vegetables, meats, and flavored drinks everywhere.

Then, for lunch, we went to a Vietnamese restaurant where I ate a delicious meal (vegetarian nems, noodles and veggies, and some weird green cake and coconut ice cream). After that, we walked around a little bit, and now I'm back at the hotel. I'm so exhausted, but I feel bad napping in Paris, so I'm sucking it up and going to see a movie with people at 4. It's a French movie about youth in Kinshasa (DRC) and should be really interesting.

I just can't believe how late in the day it already is. Today is also Ante's birthday, so we're going out tonight I think. I'm going to be exhausted! We can't do much though, because there is a transportation strike in Paris today, so the metro/train/bus system is pretty fucked.

Anyway, now I have to go get ready for the movie. AKA get my jacket and put my laptop away. Today is a jeans and t-shirt kind of day.

I'll write more tonight (hopefully - if the internet works). I miss you all!

Love, Josie