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The Lost Videos

L'amour des annes 70

I love images of Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg. They're real, in love and so stylish it hurts.

This Russian blog has plenty more lovely images, the photographs above are some of my favorites.

Rue du Faubourg-Saint-Denis.

You moved from Boston to Paris into a little apartment on the rue du Faubourg-Saint-Denis. I showed you our neighborhood, my bars, my school. I introduced you to my friends, my parents. I listened to your texts, your singing, your hopes, your desires, your music. You listened to mine. My Italian, my German, a bit of Russian. I gave you a walkman. You gave me a pillow. And one day, you kissed me. Time went by, time flew and everything seemed so easy, so simple, so free, so new, so unique. We went to the movies, we went dancing, we went shopping, we laughed, you cried, we swam, we smoked, we shaved,you screamed, sometimes for a reason, sometimes for no reason. Yes, sometimes for a reason. I brought you to the academy, I studied for my exams, I listened to your singing, to your hopes, your desires, your music. You listened to mine. We were close, so close, ever so close. We went to the movies, we swam, we laughed. Time went by, time flew. I brought you to the academy, I studied for my exams. You listened to my Italian, German, Russian, French. I studied for my exams. You screamed, sometimes for a reason. Time went by for no reason. You screamed for no reason. I studied for my exams, my exams, my exams. Time went by, you screamed, you screamed, you screamed. I went to the movies.

From Faubourg-Saint Denis of Paris Je t'Aime.


Paris Je t'Aime is a collection of short films about love in Paris. Each short film takes place in a different arrondissement, or neighborhood, of Paris. Faubourg-Saint Denis is a street in the 10th arrondissement and the story that unfolds there has my heart. I've written about it before...but here it is again.
I really feel connected to this bit of film since Francine moves from Boston to Paris. Just a small coincidence, but a beaut one.

Fuck yeah, French Cinema

Fuck Yeah, Subtitles

Une Femme est Une Femme, 1961

C'etait un rendez-vous

Beauty.

What Teachers Make

Teachers make poetry

My Paris blog has gradually turned into an account of my teaching endeavors.
I'm hoping to start tutoring French soon...
but for now, I'm off to my first subbing job of the summer. Elementary art teacher for the day. You can call me Miss. Carmody.

Teaching...or on my way.

Here at Stonehill College, I'm a French major and a Secondary Education minor...and I'm a junior. Which all means that I need to start getting everything planned out.

I took my French MTEL exam today. If I pass, I'll be certified to teach French in grades 5-12 in Massachusetts. Cross your fingers.

I'm really absolutely confident and surprised at how comfortable I was taking the test. There were 100 multiple choice about listening comp, reading comp, grammar, French culture, history and second language acquisition (whew) and a written response section as well as an oral response, where I had to talk into a tape recorder for 2 minutes about a book I would recommend to a friend.

My time in France, all the courses I've taken, the blogs I follow, poetry I love and the songs I listen to all played a part in my preparation for this test. It's crazy to think of how much time I put into "studying" without even planning to take this test...starting with the "mot du jour" in 5th grade French class.

Bisous,

Erica

DC

I miss blogging about travels.

I’m not giving up on this blog even though I’m not adventuring in Europe. By blogging about my little journeys and updates and French lovely things in my American life, I’ll have this blog ready to go for the next time I visit you, Paris.

So it begins.

Last time I blogged, it was because I was visiting NYC for spring break as a volunteer. Now, I just returned from a whirlwind adventure to DC with 13 other Stonehill students.

I found out about a rally for climate justice hosted by the Earth Day Network on the National Mall in Washington about 2 weeks ago. Nicole, one of my house mates, had learned about it but couldn’t attend, so I got a group of us organized and ready to go.

We left Stonehill at 3am Sunday morning, drove to BC, caught a bus (that broke down several times) with BC, BU and North Eastern student activists, arrived in DC at 1, left at 8 and just got back to Stonehill at 7:30am Monday Morning. Epic travels.

I was so happy to have this experience with friends and new Stonehiller’s I wouldn’t have met if this trip hadn’t happened.

We had lovely weather, even though it was supposed to rain and thunder, we met awesome activists, had some good laughs and some great bonding.

One thing I’m really hyped about is Mass Power Shift/ Students for a Just and Stable Future. I met two girls, Dominique and Katie, who are leaders in this badass campaign that I’m planning to participate more in this summer with Tracy! Check it OUT http://www.masspowershift.org/

Concrete Jungle

I'm off to New York for the week.
I can't help but think how everyone I met in Europe would would be so excited.
I'm going to send a postcard to the students I taught in Paris.

Bisou,
Erica