Happy New Year!

Despite title similarity with another blog that I supposedly authored, I would like to first put out the disclaimer that yes, in fact, Muh Lyfe be Lyke: France Edition is a real blog written by the real Kathleen Marie Connelly (to what I'm sure will be the intense amusement of a certain Sadie Sisk).  Unfortunately for those enamoured with my past "blog" this will not deal with a broken birthday crown, my prospeccts with any of the jonas brothers, or "your girl who keeps it realz" but rather with my time here in Strasbourg, France.  Although a semester has already gone by (during which I know I was terrible at keeping in touch with people) I've decided better late than never to try and let people know what I've been doing and keep a record for myself!  Another disclaimer, although Caitlin Reilly does not yet know the password to this, if any posts about my alter ego the dwarf Gimli from Lord of the Rings and my supposed bromance with Legolas appear, I think we will all know who is responsible. 

Anyways I've recently returned to Strasbourg from a two week stint back in the US where it was so great to see all my friends and family!  The Caroling Party, the Kennedy Center, Christmas Day, a wonderful suprise visit from my roomate Sadie, and of course Bryce were all highlights.  *ps don't worry my knee brace hasn't even left France yet so who knows if I'll ever even see that thing again*  I had to skip the traditional Bryce New Years Eve festivities this year in order to attend another spectacular tradition-Holy Cross in Paris. 

 For years Holy Cross students studying abroad and their friends visiting from home have been able to meet up in Paris and celebrate the new year in style on the streets of this City of Lights.  The class of 2012 was no exception and the Strasbourg girls (missing Caitlin : / ) enjoyed playing host in "our country".  Because we decided we'd be back to Paris someday, Veronica, Sarah, Claire, and I took at a bit slowe pace than the rest of the Holy Cross kids visiting Paris, but we still managed to do some sightseeing (okay we saw two things in two days...but they were still cool nonetheless!)

One of our sights, an enormous cemetary where greats such as Chopin (whose grave we thought we saw though it turned out to be an imposter, Edith Piaf, Oscar Wilde, and Jim Morrison are all buried. 



  Although the cemetary and lunch were really all we managed on December 31st we did have lots of preparing to do for the evening's festitvities as we had invited everyone to our hostel to organize ourselves.  After a trip to Monoprix we were ready for a nap and then to start getting excited to see everyone!  With  

Ski Team in Paris! (Minus Teddy)

over 20 people stuffed in our hostel room, the beginning of the night definetely felt like a Holy Cross dorm party and everyone was very excited to be reunited with friends both new and old.  Around 1030 we decided to brave the metro, free on New Year's Eve, and make our way to the Champs-Elsyees.  Cramped quarters did not prevent shannanigans such as singing, screaming, and even popping champagne en route (thanks Rob).  When we emerged out onto the street we were greeted by lights and hundreds of people.  The wait till midnight was filled with more wine, meeting more Holy Cross people, and most notably a Holy Cross chant that sevevral French spectators tried to join in on. 

 

Holy Cross attemps the metro







On the Champs

Although the actually passing into the new year was unremarkable-no countdown, few fireworks, and certainly no dropping ball,  once we realized that it was in fact 12:03 we made sure to uncork the rest of our champagne and make an enormous mess on the street.  In another similarity to going out at Holy Cross, this night ended inevitable in food.  Separated in the confusion of getting back on the metro, the Strasbourg girls plus Meghan, Cami, and Audrey (coming in three seperate groups mind you) all managed to find each other at one of the omnipresent kebab places that populate Europe.  A large snuggle fest with few beds and lots of people concluded the night that fulfilled and exceeded all our expectations.



Visitation in Paris, round 2!



The next day we managed to leave our hostel only for a late lunch and evening mass at Notre Dame cathedral which was definetely a cool experience.  As food was clearly a theme of this trip, we headed straight to what we anticipated would be a lovely dinner in a nice Parisien restaurant.  It was only literally 3 1/2 hours later that were able to ESCAPE from le Marathon, quite possible the worst restaurant in Paris.  Apart from declaring that snails were better than mussels anyway when he mistakenly brought the wrong order, claiming that "chicken is beef" and then proceeding to bring raw meat out, and completely ignoring the fact that Audrey too had ordered dessert, our waiter also refused in general to bring our food out for 2 hours.  The delicious nutella crepes we had afterwards made us a feel al little better but I am sure we will be avoiding eating in the Latin quarter the next time we visit Paris.

Back to Strasbourg the next day on the TGV and despite a bit of confusion on seating (why would seat 74 be next to 26?) we finally made it back "home" to start off a new semester here on the "frontier".  This weekend we are off to Normany to visit Rouen, Bayeux, and of course the D-Day beaches.