Recent Findings/Orientation Day

Well I just got back from my Orientation day at school. It was so exciting and I think I made 3 friends!!! I slept about 4 minutes last night (combination of jet lag and first day jitters). I set 3 alarms and was up and in the shower by 7:30. I had some special K and tea and was out the door by 8:30. Because my stupid luggage hasn't arrived yet (don't go there) I had to buy another lock before I went to school. I arrived around 9:10 and was given my ID badge and shown into the demonstration room.

Here is a picture of the outside of school:


The room itself was very ordinary but had croissants, jus d'orange, tea and cafe for us. We then met the head of the school who was a woman that looked mean but was very nice. Our translator had the most obscure accent, it was a mixture between British and Australian- hey, at least we have one. We introduced ourselves, and I wrote down the different countries where people were from:

Israel
Japan
Thailand
Brazil
Columbia
Taiwan
China
Italy
Canada
USA
Greece
United Arab Emirates
UK
France

WHOA! Talk about a melting pot of people. Most people spoke a little English and I forsee language being an issue for several. There are others who speak 5 languages and I found myself feeling jealous. I definitely can understand much of the French which is going to be helpful, but speaking is another issue. We got our uniforms, knives, scale, tupperware next and had to try it on in the locker room. My pants COULD NOT be any longer- I'm going to have to have them hemmed. The locker room is absolutely tiny, so I became very close to those that I met...

Then we had a tour of the school. It's very very very small and for being such a renowned place, the equipment seemed antiquated. I had to remind myself that it's not about the equipment, but the technique I will be learning. Pictures on the wall of all the famous alumni are so much fun to look at! (Lots of Julia Child) The prep kitchens are scary and I saw the biggest vat of bubbling veal stock just boiling away when we got a tour of that. We also met some of the chefs who were having lunch in the sous sol (basement). After the tour they took us back to the Winter Garden (not a garden at all, but a frigid cafeteria looking room) where we had some bread, brie, fruits and wine and went home!

While carrying all my stuff home and sweating profusely I managed to get my monthly metro card. The woman helping me spoke no English so I tested out my French. It worked and I have the card...PHEW! one more thing to cross off the list.

Here are a few things I've learned in my 2 days here (in no particular order):

1. The metro couldn't be easier. Everything is so self explanatory and easy- I've been in almost all of the neighborhoods!

2. Crying gets you absolutely nowhere in this country. I've spoken to Air France close to 50 times and each time there are at least a few tears...and my bags still aren't here. Maybe I will yell this time...

3. Paris is so gorgeous it's not even funny.

4. I will never, in my life live in a nicer house than I'm living in right now. I certainly don't deserve a place so incredible, but it's so nice to feel like I have a home.

5. The same annoying music plays in the Gap here too. (I bought a sweater, jeans, underwear and an undershirt)

6. It is no longer legal to smoke inside...making the few clothes that I have smell much better.

7. I miss my blanky

8. Most of the time when I attempt to speak French, people respond in English. Come on people, at least I'm trying!

9. One way to break in kitchen shoes is to wear them everywhere you go (my only pair) my feet hurt and my legs are sore

10. The toothpaste here tastes funny, I can't wait to get my Colgate

I'm going to take pictures of my equipment and go get my pants hemmed and head to the US Embassy to check in with them just in case. I will put pictures up of my first day of school outfit!

A Bientot!

I Made it...

You know you look AWFUL when you walk onto a plane and the flight attendant says "ma'am, are you alright?", you manage to choke out "I'm moving to Paris" from behind your tears and keep walking. That's how my journey over here began. I had a full blown, four alarm panic before I got on the plane. There were MANY tears and not nearly enough wine.

I land in Amsterdam to be told that I've already missed my connection, but not to worry because KLM has already booked me on another flight leaving in 2 hours. I wait in line at customs where a scary looking woman doesn't say one word to me and stamps my passport. I got a sprite and a muffin with my KLM food voucher and waited to board my next plane. I asked the nice lady at the desk if my bags were on the plane and they were not, but they were still loading them. I asked the nice lady on the plane once we were in the air if they had made it on. They hadn't. Cue more tears...lots of them.

I arrive in Paris and wait at the carousel like an idiot knowing full well my bags with EVERYTHING in them aren't going to come out. I go, file a report and take the train(s) into Paris. Now in the middle of my misery, I manage to procure a train ticket from a machine in Euros (thanks Mom for the change!), get on the correct train, transfer at Chatelet Les Halles, then transfer again at Concorde to arrive at my stop, Solferino.

Fairly confident that I'm going to receive my bags, I'm pretty pleased at this feat and bee bop around the 7th to find my apartment. Somehow I find the place and the outside code works!!! This excitement was short lived as the inside code I had didn't work. Luckily the guardienne came out to help me. She was lovely and showed me the place- it really is unreal. I call Zu, figure out how to use the phone and look around. Secretly waiting for the phone to ring and it being Air France. The woman said they make a trip to Paris at 3 with delayed luggage and again at 8pm. I call, nothing. They can't find my bags. I decide to walk to the store to get something to eat. It's Sunday and EVERYTHING is closed. I finally find a market and get the necessities. I come home and am FRIGID so I take a shower and have been laying in bed crying. I've called my parents, they've called me, but nothing seems to be making my bags appear. All I want to do is snuggle up with my blanky, unpack and put on some warm socks.

Alone and wanting clothes.

Merde.

Good Things Come To Those Who Wait?!

To be fair, I'm not really a 'planner'. I wait until the last minute to accomplish most things. My father and sisters are major planners, I'm usually the one that will say "It will all work out". While being homeless in Paris is much better off than being homeless anywhere else, it really freaked me out. Lauren said that I was screaming in my sleep the other night "I'm NEVER going to find one"...yikes.

Then my fairy godmother Nancy called. Nancy is a colleague of Lauren's at Sotheby's that has an apartment in Paris that she and her husband Michael are letting me rent while I'm there. Embarrassing as this is, I was jumping up and down screaming when she called saying I could rent it. They sent me pictures and I'm fairly certain that it's the most fabulous apartment that ever existed in Paris. The location is PERFECT (in the 7e) and I will be in a home. As Lauren said it "You will be yelled and screamed at all day, and burn your hands and cut your fingers, but at least you have a home to come home to!". I will be able to walk to school which is important considering the sheer amount of butter I plan on ingesting, and there's a woman who lives in the building that can help me if I get lost, or something tragic that is bound to happen to me.

Since I made the decision to come to Le Cordon Bleu, things have just seemed to fallen into place. I've been able to find someone to sublet my place in SF, I've now found a place in Paris, I've got my flights, I dropped off my car, I've gotten my insurance, and I'm ready to go! People have been saying that because things have fallen into place for me, that this journey was meant to be. I can finally say with my whole heart that it was meant to be.

Now all I have to do is email those several agencies and proudly say "Thanks but NO THANKS!" I have been so frustrated with them that I'm sure this will be a fun exercise for me.

Here is a picture of the view out of my new Parisian apartment:


Joyeux Noel!

Why didn't I stick with Twilight?

For some reason last night after I went to the Symphony (and watched Jersey Shore) I got in bed and instead of reading the epilogue of Eclipse, I picked up my other book...the one about Le Cordon Bleu. I was about 30 pages into the Basic Cuisine section. I had stopped reading it because it was freaking me out. It was so similar to my life and decision to go to Paris that I was worried that it would make me get really anxious. Well I started reading it again, and boy did I get freaked out.

Not only was there a chapter on beheading innocent little bunnies (don't tell Lily!), but she goes through the final exam process and it really made me nervous. I had decided that I wanted to be at the top of my class a couple of weeks ago- this woman ended up sobbing on the floor of the locker room after a Chef told her she was wasting her time coming to school there. To say I'm nervous is an understatement- it's possible to fail this program, what would I DO if I failed? I'm nervous enough just getting ready to leave let alone if my mirepoix isn't perfect.

I woke up at 4:30 this morning to deal with apartment stuff, I lost yet ANOTHER apartment. Fortunately, one of the original selections has become available again so I am going to sign the contract. OF COURSE in Paris signing a contract doesn't actually mean anything, because 19 other people could have signed the contract, and of course because of the time change, it's the weekend there, so nothing will happen until next week. I"VE HAD IT with Paris housing agencies.

I've cleaned out my apt, and am about to take my car up to Napa to leave it at Dominique and Boz's house. One of the last things I have to do before I leave Sunday morning!

Je suis tres fatigue, a bientot!

My Pretty Welcome Folder!

Well, I just got my official "welcome packet"!!! It's really really exciting! Yesterday was horrendous. That housing agency I was working with made me run around town to get all my paperwork together and fax it to them (it cost me $22!) only for them to email me saying "Unfortunately there are 4 or 5 other people ahead of you for this apartment". WHAT???? Why couldn't they tell me that BEFORE I went to get all my paperwork in? I was SO mad.

I went on VRBO, Craigslist and just about every agency site in Paris. I found one and inquired...it's available!!! I emailed her back this morning saying that I would like to rent it so please reserve it for me! Hopefully this one works out. It's in the 7e and a block from Le Tour Eiffel!! It's a 30 minute walk to school and 2 stops on the train if I take le metro. I'm really hoping this one works out, I'm OVER this housing situation.

Back to my welcome packet- it has my orientation day information, a map of Paris, a metro map, visa information (luckily I don't need one!), and other course information. There's a 4 day wine course that they are offering to students, if it fits in with my other classes, I'm IN. I'd love to learn about wine!

Here are some pictures of my beautiful folder, even the way they write my name and address (incorrectly) is prettier. I can't wait to get over there!




A Bientot!

"Wharton was cake compared to Le Cordon Bleu"

Today, after I freaked out and cried to my parents (thanks for talking me down mom and dad!) I went to Ryan's to do some work on my blog and to print some documents out. I went to Kinko's and tried to fax my apartment documents to the agency. Obviously it didn't go through. My fax to Le Cordon Bleu went through, but not the really important one! Frustrated and angry- I went to meet Goergia, MB and Katie Ho at Ottimistta on Union. We were chatting about my new adventure and a woman interrupted us and said "are you going to Le Cordon Bleu in Paris??"

Turns out she went to Le Cordon Bleu...AFTER she went to Wharton Business School. She very plainly said that Wharton was cake compared to LCB. She was very sweet and I'm going to meet her on Friday so she can make a copy of all of her notes for me (very VERY nice) but I'm more nervous than I was this morning. She said it was the hardest thing she's ever had to do. She also told me that I really need to learn the metric system before I go. Anyone who knows me knows that math is NOT my strong suit. I'm going to see if I can get an easy book on learning the metric system tomorrow. That will be much harder for me than learning French.

I'm going to call Valerie tomorrow and hopefully get all of her notes...and also try and fax the documents to Paris again. I hope I'm able to sleep tonight.

Bon Soir!

Panic is starting to set in

I heard back from the agency and I'm moving forward on one of their apartments. I freaked about the one in the 3e because I was nervous it was too far from school and far from Zu. The agency is requiring a lot of information within 24 hours and I'm trying to get it all together. I skyped them in a panic because I need a certificate of insurance, but the insurance website won't let me proceed without a contract number from the agency. It's a little bit like which came first? the chicken or the egg?

I have my flights to and from Paris- so I suppose I should be pleased with that. I leave out of Toronto on Jan 2 and return to SF at 2:30pm on March 19th. I will sleep from the moment I get back to my apt here so I can be fresh as a daisy for your wedding MB!

The school is requiring me to RE-SEND my uniform size information, which makes me wonder...did they lose my passport photos too? I'm going to Ryan's this afternoon to print all sorts of info out and then fax them to France from a Kinko's or something. Moral of this blog entry- one should always own a printer/scanner/copier as this is a royal pain to deal with!

For those of you who don't already have Skype...GET IT! that's how I'm going to be able to call for free! My Skype name is carolyngioia, if you're a member already add me as a contact! I'm new, so be patient with me!

I should probably get off my blog and get cracking on all the stuff I need to do. I can't believe I'm actually moving to Paris...I'm freaking out.

Ps. Thanks to Ryan SO much for helping me make my blog cool! You're the best

A Bientot!

Check it off the list!

My San Francisco apartment has been subletted! I am SO relieved to have found someone great. John is 28 and will be studying for the Bar here for January and February...aka won't be having wild parties in my house!

I went to Target today (which was a nightmare) and got 6 tide sticks to clean my chef's jacket and some undershirts to wear under my jackets. I'm told that I will be sweating like CRAZY during the practical portion of the day so I wanted just something light to wear.

I hope to have all my apt in Paris dealt with this week! I have 2 in mind with the same agency and I'm just waiting to hear back from the agent again. Zuzu is over there already and might look at one for me, but part of my thinks it's more adventurous to just get one and figure it out? 1 of the places is a 1 month minimum, and the other is a 3 month minimum- what if I HATE the second one? then I'm stuck for another 2 months. I'm sure it will all work out- I'm just so excited that SF is dealt with and the rent is covered...FEW!

Keep your fingers crossed that I hear back from the Paris agency tomorrow!

A Bientot!

One Step Closer!

I finally got a hold of my landlord and asked told her about my adventure. She couldn't have been more supportive! AND she said that she'd be perfectly fine with my subletting my place while I'm in Paris! To say that's a sigh of relief is an understatement. I was losing a lot of sleep over whether or not I'd be able to sublet.

I've also been communicating with an agency in Paris about renting an apartment. It's a great studio (furnished) in the 7th arrondissement. It has a sofabed on the first floor and 2 beds up in a loft so visitors are all welcome (it sure will be cozy!) The French are very formal, every email I receive from either Le Cordon Bleu or the agency say "Dear Miss GIOIA". I really like it- it makes me feel special. The only downfall of being in California dealing with this is the time difference. I send emails and get responses at 4am, oh well!

I've posted my apt in SF on craigslist- hopefully I can find someone to live here for January and February in the next couple of weeks...that will be such a relief.

I'm off to the AT&T store to see if I can take my iphone over there...this should be interesting

a bientot!

Bienvenue sur Le Cordon Bleu Paris!!

I got the email...it's official! I'm going to Paris!!!!!!!! I'm SO excited and VERY freaked out. I had such a great time in Buffalo for Thanksgiving and everyone I talked to was so excited and supportive. Sarah Mitchell who did the basic program in London got me SUPER excited about the program itself, she thinks I'm going to love it...FEW!

Now begins the stress: Telling my landlord, trying to sublet, finding an apt. in Paris, breaking in my kitchen shoes, buying enough wife beaters to wear under my chef's coat...and the list goes on!

I'm so happy that people have been giving me names of people that live in Paris- I'm contacting everyone I possibly can to have friends there. A friend from Buffalo Zuzu is there and will be starting the intermediate course when I start basic. She's been SO helpful so far and we're emailing about different housing agencies that she found helpful. She's also telling me which neighborhoods I want to live in, what to wear under my jacket, telling me that LCB has an infinite supply of hair nets, and that the knife kit is as cool as I think it will be.

I sent in all my information and tuition (YIKES) yesterday and am anxiously awaiting the arrival of my uniform(s) and knife kit. Here is a picture of Mom measuring my head for my Chef's hat (22.5 inches!)...don't worry I will put the whole getup on when I receive it.



I spent the morning emailing housing agencies...I'm interested to see what kind of furnished studios they can come up with. I'll keep you all posted!

A Bientot