Experience in Mizzou

A little after midnight on Tuesday, I got a call from my friend James asking if I wanted to drive through the night to Mizzou, where students were protesting racial issues and death threats against black students had just surfaced. The idea was a little crazy and I was already exhausted, but of course I said yes.

We had no idea what we would find when we arrived. The most recent development in this story was threats on the anonymous app “Yik Yak” threatening to “shoot every black person I see.” Students we know at Mizzou told us that many students had left campus, unsure what the next day would bring.

            Because I was awake almost all night, I was able to follow the search for the students who posted the threats. Around 6 a.m., police arrested two men.

            Regardless of those arrests, James and I were surprised by what we found on campus: nothing. Even though it was a Wednesday morning, only a handful of students could be found walking to class. The quad, where less than 24 hours before had been filled with tents and student protesters, was now eerily quiet. All that remained were a few news crews preparing to do their last on-scene reports, and three men in orange vests picking up trash.

            Our hope of getting portfolio worthy news photos was instantly shot down. It was time for plan B. We decided to spend the day talking to students and taking portraits, in hopes of creating a portrait series that showcased a variety of student’s view on the protest.

            I quickly learned many details about the protest. The group, Concerned Students 1950 (CS1950), had been protesting racial slurs on campus for many months. It wasn’t until the graduate students protested and saw action taken on their health insurance being taken away, did the CS1950 get fed up with not being heard by the university.

            “[CS1950] has been peacefully protesting for so many months that it finally had to come to this,” said Mcguire Mcmanus, a student at Mizzou.

According to Mcmanus, the protests have been happening ever since the incidents in Ferguson.

As the day went on more students began showing up to campus. Some said they had barely even seen or been affected by the protests. This really made me think of how the media portrays things. I’m not in any place to say that there wasn’t a real danger on campus, but I can say that I and other students on campus did not feel threatened whatsoever. The media made James and I feel as though we were walking into a dangerous situation, but it turned out not to be that at all.

Even though we missed the action, I’m glad we chose to make the trip. It gave us a chance to experience the atmosphere and form our own opinions, free of the media’s influence.

We will be putting together some kind of portrait series this weekend with quotes from all the students we talked to. I look forward to sharing our experience more with you!

Florida

I've debated a lot about writing a blog post about my time in Florida. But since I've had a lot of people asking and I've always been open about things with my dad before, here it goes..

After contacting my dad for the first time three years ago, I feel like this journey has finally come to an end. I took a week and a half off school to meet my 14-year-old sister Abbie, and step-mother Caroline in Orlando Florida.

I arrived in Orlando on the same day as them and our initial meeting was in the airport food court. In movies, things like this are portrayed as very dramatic, emotional, and maybe even awkward. But it wasn't. I found them sitting at a table, gave all three of them a hug, and then Abbie and I went to buy some McDonalds for dinner. And just like that, I wasn't living half my life in the shadows anymore.

For the first three years of knowing my dad, Abbie didn't know I existed. It gave my dad and I a fair chance at getting to know each other without other factors coming into play, but it also meant that each time I went to London I stayed at my grandparents house, essentially hidden away from Abbie and the rest of my dad's side of the family. The only people who knew about me where my grandparents, my step-mom (although I had never met her) and the nice South African couple who lived across the street and came over for dinner anytime I was in town. I was being hidden away and there wasn't anything I could do about it.

But Florida changed that. I know my sister now; a typical teenager who loves snapchat and shopping. We bonded over a love for roller coasters and an ability to shop for hours while our dad sees a movie at the theater connected to the mall. We come from completely different backgrounds, and while we still barely know each other, we have the rest of our lives to solidify a bond.

I'd be lying though if I told you the trip was all sunshine and happiness. It was both Abbie and I's first time seeing our dad with the other and we both struggled in our own ways. All I hear when I tell people these stories is "That's so cool!" And while I agree, I think people forget about the not-cool parts of it. They overlook the fact that I grew up without my dad, only to find out that he has another daughter who he's fathered since she was born. Or the fact that spending time with them means hearing stories about their annual father/daughter christmas date into downtown London and trips to their vacation house in Spain. It means hearing about what could have been, had my dad been in my life for my first 18 years.

That doesn't mean I am hostile about anything though, it only means it's hard. I think meeting Abbie and Caroline went at smoothly as possible, given the tricky situation. I guess next up is meeting the aunts, uncles and cousins. Wish me luck, and thanks for reading!

Paris guide

Paris is one of the most visited cities in the world. Even after living there a full semester, I still wont have experienced all this city has to offer. Here are some of my personal favorites that everyone visiting Paris should experience.

What to see/do:

Paris is one of the most visited cities in the world. Even after living there a full semester, I still wont have experieced all this city has to offer. Here are some of my personal favorites that everyone visiting Paris should experience.

 The Louvre: the biggest collection of art in the world. Swing by the Mona Lisa just to say you’ve seen it, but plan to spend most of your time looking at the thousands of other paintings and artifacts it houses. My personal favorite exhibit is the Arabic and Muslim art. The artifacts and murals are absolutely beautiful and in all my travels, I have never seen another exhibit that even comes close to resembling it. Time commitment: ½ day or full day, depending on your preferences.

Arc de Triomph: located at the end of the Champs de Lyses, one of the most famous shopping streets in the world, the Arc de Triumph’s massiveness towers over the street and dominates your attention. In order to reach it, you have to go underground through the metro station because too many cars are driving on the street surrounding it. The view from the top gives a great overall of Paris. If you want a good view of the city, I suggest going to the top of this over going to the top of the Eiffel Tower. Time commitment: 1/3 of a day

Montmartre: The trek up to Montmartre could never disappoint. Go in the late afternoon to walk around and watch local artists paint and draw, and pay a visit to the Sacré Coure, a beautiful church located on a very tall hill overlooking Paris. If you go on a weekend, you will usually find local musicians giving free concerts on the steps leading up to it. Grab a bottle of wine and go at sunset for a great view of the city. You will feel like a true Parisian in no time! Time commitment: ½ day.

Picnic under the Eiffel Tower: the most well known monument in Europe, you would be crazy not to visit the Eiffel Tower. My recommended way to visit is to grab some snacks (baguette, crepe, cookies, ect) and a bottle of wine and have a picnic underneath. The only reason to go on top is to say you’ve been on top of the Eiffel Tower, but if you’re looking for a great view of Paris, Montmartre and the Arc de Triomph are more worth it. Make sure to stick around at night to watch the tower sparkle during the first five minutes of every hour. Time commitment: 1-2 hours. 

What to eat:

 Crepe: crepes have got to be the most famous food in Paris. I would suggest buying one from a street vendor rather than a restaurant; they taste much better and you get to watch it being made right in front of you. 

 Croque monsuire/madam: croque monsuire is a thick cut slice of toast with cheese baked on top, and the madam is the same but with an egg on it too. My favorite is the madam, but both can be found at any corner café.

A different ethnicity of food: you’re in a place that’s famous for its signature foods and I’m telling you to stray away from that? Yep! Immigrants from all over Asia and the Middle East migrate to Paris, so therefor it also is home to great foods from around the world. At the metro stop Saint Michele (line 4) you can find great Indian, Lebanese, Pakistani, and Tunisian foods, or for the best Chinese in town head to  Porte d’Ivry on line 7. 

 Chez Paul: If you’re looking for some nice, authentic French food, Chez Paul is the place to go. Located between Bastille  (line 1, 14) and Ledru Rollin (line 8) metro stops, this fine dining restaurant does not disappoint. If you go, try the duck... IT'S AMAZING. 

Boulangerie: these bakeries can be found on just about any street in Paris. Whether you’re looking for a macaroon, a baguette or just a slice of pizza, a boulangerie is your go-to. Make it a goal to try a different kind of pastry each time you go in. There are hundreds to choose from!

How to get around: the metro.  

1.     If you’re staying for only a few days, buy a pack of ten metro tickets. If you run out at the end, you can buy them individually as you need them. Pack of 10: 14 euros. Individual tickets: 1,80 euros.

2.     If you’re staying for one or two weeks, buy a weeklong pass. Price: 25 euros for unlimited travel.

3.     Staying even longer? Go ahead and get a month-long metro pass! Price: 70 Euro for unlimited travel.

Tip: download the app “Paris Metro.” It will quickly tell you the easiest and quickest way to get from point A to point B, and works even works without Wi-Fi!

Au revoir, Paris

7:23 a.m., alarm goes off. Wake up, shower get dressed… toast my toast; pack my bag… leave the apartment by 8:20. I walk the seven minutes to Gare de Lyon station, catch line one towards La Défense, make a switch at Châtelet, then catch line four towards Mairie de Montrouge, finally finishing my journey at Saint-Sulpice, where I take French for three hours a day, three days a week. A typical start to a school day, except for the fact that I’m in Paris, France.

I didn’t have many expectations before coming to Paris. I figured I’d meet some cool people, eat some good food, travel around a lot. Little did I know what I was actually getting myself into.

The people while abroad were so much more than just “cool” to me; words really do not do these friendships justice. We danced in the metro, had countless picnics in the park, made family dinners, cuddled on giant couches, and stayed out all night, sleep depriving ourselves to the brim. To Morgan, Emily, Elle, Ali, Cat, Mikaela, Andrés, Sergio, Luis and Alejandro- thank you for being my best friends for the past three months and putting up with me always taking videos of you guys. You guys are the best and I can’t wait to visit you all around the US.

The better the thing is, the harder the ending is, and let me tell you, this ending is HARD. I one by one said goodbye to the Institut Catholique de Paris, where I’ve spent 17 hours per week for the past three months; Jardin du Luxembourg, where we ate lunch everyday after school; my room, with a little white bureau in the far corner and a fireplace at the foot of my bed; and my host mom and her two cats, who sat on the table every night at dinner and were constantly trying to drink water out of my cup.

This post could go on forever and ever detailing countless things I’m going to miss about my life in Paris, but I will stop myself before I get too carried away. I hope you all have enjoyed following my semester, because I sure have enjoyed living it. Au revoir for now, Paris! I now have a quick visit back to London before I head home for good. Don’t worry mom, I’m on my way!

Also, watch my video overviewing my whole semester here: https://vimeo.com/128747758

Plitvice National Park, Croatia

WOW. I am just finishing up a trip to Croatia and I can say with certainty that it is in my top three favorites of countries I’ve visited. Here’s my itinerary, as well as tips for traveling through this picturesque country.

Zagreb

            Flights are typically much cheaper to and from Zagreb (my guess is because its not on the coast). Despite not being a top tourist city, there is still plenty to be seen!

What to see/do:

 Museum of Broken Relationships: people from around the world send objects, along with short stories or poems, which remind them of a relationship that is no longer there. Not all are intimate relationships- some are between child and parent, friends or siblings. Definitely the most unique museum I’ve been to! See their website for hours and prices.

Lookout: Located right next to the Museum of Broken Relationships, the lookout tower provides the best view of the entire city, as well as the mountains behind it. Price is 20 Kuna (about 2.50 Euros). Go around dusk to see the city in beautiful light, and then watch the sun set behind the mountains!

Where to stay:

Hostels are plentiful in this city. Because everything is within walking distance, you can’t go wrong with any of them but I stayed in Palmers Lodge. The bed was amazingly comfortable, the workers were helpful and friendly, and it was always very quiet and peaceful- perfect for when you want a good nights sleep.

Plitvice Lakes National Park

How to get there:

There is a bus that runs regularly between Zagreb and Plitvice. You can buy tickets on the bus, but I recommend getting them beforehand. Bus ride is about two hours.

What to see/do:

Waterfalls! Start at the bottom (entrance 1) and work your way to the top, or the other way around. They say it takes five hours to go through the whole park, but if you plan to stop a lot and take photos, I would plan on a couple hours more.

Where to stay:

If you want to stay in the park, I recommend Villa Lika. Amazingly nice employees and only a short walk from the park.