from Switzerland to Milan to Paris!

(Champs Elysees)

I have not written in so long I've been travelling all over! I feel weird blogging... Like I think I'm really cool that I need to tell everyone about my life. Oh wait a minute, I am really cool because I live in Paris! WHAAAT. (kidding). So getting to Paris was a little bit of a disaster... The ticket office for the train was closed so I couldn't pick up my ticket when I was in Milan so me and my friend Meredith who was also going to Paris had to print out our emails saying we've paid and beg them to let us on the train. After asking many different people they thankfully agreed and we got on. Once on the train we were cracking up at how tiny and close everything was. It was my first time on a train like this before, small rooms with 6 beds, 3 layered on top of one another (I was on the very top) and barely any room to move. With the occassional perks of being a 20 year old girl, Meredith and I got called back into 1st class by two guys who worked on the train and had some drinks, that was fun. After some time we went to sleep back in our cabins and when we awoke we were in the beautiful Paris! Last night Meredith and I checked out the Champs Elysees and the Eiffel Tower. Purchased some sandwiches and champagne and made ourselves a nice picnic right in front of the gorgeous building. My favorite part about the Eiffel Tower was how it changes and looks different as the sun goes down. Once it is completely dark it sparkles and is a jaw-dropping sight. I could sit on the grass and stare at it for hours, unfortunately we got in trouble by the po-po for drinking alcohol (didn't know it was illegal there since everyyyyone was doing it) and we had to move to a different spot. Today I made my first purchase! A new pair of tan Parisan sandals, perfect considering my blog name :] Also I got a pedicure and sipped some Earl Grey at a cafe! I'm so local now it's ridiculous...I really hope everyone who reads this knows me and my sense of humor by now. Anyways, I check in to my school on Monday, looking forward to it, this vagabond lifestyle is moving way too quickly for me. Haven't stayed in the same spot since I got here! (Definitely not complaining though) I can truly say I have never been happier.
Au Revoir homies!

Locarno Film Festival

(Mike Medavoy and his son-plus Mer, Mon and Me :] )

So far the Film Festival has been awesome here. I've gratefully gotten the chance to see many wonderful films such as Another Earth-A film with a concept I particularly was quite drawn to, it involved the idea of what you would think if you met yourself. In other words seeing yourself as someone outside yourself. Saw Olivia Wilde, Harrison Ford and Daniel Craig at the Cowboys and Aliens screening (a film I didn't quite particularly like). Today I got the honor to meet one of the greatest producers of all time, Mike Medavoy. He's produced 315 films including Black Swan, Shutter Island, Rocky, Apocalypse Now, One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, etc. etc. I personally thought he seemed quite modest considering all his success, however others in our group got the opposite impression. On a tangent, a couple of nights ago we met some hippie's (I felt back at home Santa Cruz!) haha and jammed out together on some drums, guitar and flute. It was quite the.. experience? Anywho, only 5 more days left of this Summer Abroad program and then I'm onto a train to Paris for a whole 'nother experience!

Made it to Switzerland!

Where do I begin... Well first off Switzerland is gorgeous! The best day I've had on this trip would have to be yesterday. A bunch of us went to the lake and swam and had grape throwing competitions and found a LEECH! We named it Carmen Eleechra. Last night saw the first film of the film festival: Fellini's Amarcord. It was in Italian but had French subtitles that I could mostly follow. The actress from that film, Magali Noel was there presenting the film, she's still as much as a fox as she was then! After the film ended Meredith and I went to the Retunda-spelling?, a huge tent filled with food, drinks, dancing, etc. We danced on stage by ourselves to Usher, Pussycat Dolls, etc. clearly being Americans... Today went and saw an Indian film called Neecha Nagar, I liked it because the music was all done by Ravi Shankar who I adore because he taught my boyfriend George Harrison from The Beatles how to play the Sitar. :] haha. I'm obsessed.. Anywho, later tonight is the showing of Super8 that I'm looking forward to. I can't decide if I enjoy Berlin or Switzerland more. They each have such a different vibe. Berlin more fast-paced, Locarno more relaxed. I do miss the cheapness of food and such in Berlin though that is for sure. A little FF(fun fact) before I leave you guys..the beer here costs less than a bottle of water!!
Ciao!
-Brittany C.

(Magali Noel)