Sunday was the last day of orientation and we went out with a bang. In the morning we took the RER to Versailles. It was quite spectacular. Better than I ever imagined it would be. We plan to go back once the weather's nicer so we can walk around the gardens more. After Versailles, Derek introduced Arianna and me to McCoy's, an American cafe on Grenelle. I'm not sure how I feel about such establishments in Paris. For me, I think they take away from the unique culture that Paris embodies. Replacing bistros with fast food restaurants or cafes with Starbucks augments the increasingly homogenous world culture and depletes the unique culture that separates one country or territory from the next. I don't like it... That evening we finished orientation week with a boat ride down the seine. Despite being FREEZING, it was a really enjoyable ride. The views were amazing, obviously, and the city looked so beautiful all lit up at night.Sometimes I hate traveling in groups, though, because it's quite obvious that the French are often turned off by the way we act when we're all together. I guess I would be put off by a bunch of young adults causing a ruckus on the metro or in public, whether in Paris or even in America, but it still makes me slightly uncomfortable knowing that wherever I go, I'm being judged. I think I pass for French when I'm alone, though, which is cool I guess.
In other news, "BARRACK OBAMA!!!" This is what is often shouted at me when people realize I'm an American. As excited as the States are for Obama's presidency, I think the French are even more excited, if that's possible. I'm really happy to be living here in Paris during the Obama era. It makes me more comfortable being an American in Paris. The inauguration took place this evening. Apparently campus was crazy packed with AUP students + random Parisians excited about Obama. It blows my mind how invested people are in one man. I often feel bad for him because everyone across the globe expects him to save the world, but he's only human--he may succeed, he may fail. And while I'm more inclined to believe that he will have a great deal of success if not in the next four years, but in the next eight, it worries me how the international community will react if he doesn't live up to the hype.
