Tuesday, November 9, 2010

It's been a while....

Where to begin... So many things have happened to me since my last post. I have been living my life, enjoying myself where I see the opportunity to do so. I am struggling at the moment with writer's block, as I have now gotten a general idea of when my novel's deadline is to be. Not that I don't know what happens in my own book or anything, I have it all locked up tight in my head! But unfortunately, that's exactly where it wants to stay. I also have been having problems saying what is on my mind at this juncture in time, something I'm all too familiar with. Perhaps that's where my trouble with the writing is stemming from...
However, I am getting off track! I recently spent a weekend in Paris, taking in the sights and making friends amongst the other exchange students, like a wonderful little group of Americans that I sat with on the bus and panicked with on the Eiffel Tower (I'm sorry if I forgot that I'm afraid of heights, it was all rather exciting and confusing.) Thank god for the people who spent ages calming me down on top of the tower, I don't know what I would have done had I been alone. And I can also check "seeing the Louvre" and "seeing a Van Gogh exhibit: off my bucket list! I can't even begin to describe how moved I was by the self-portrait of Van Gogh. I spent almost a half-hour standing in front of it, as close as I was able, staring into the whirls of blue and green, seeing the self-loathing and sadness etched into every line of his face. I was moved to tears.
In comparison, the Louvre was small potatoes to Van Gogh and the Musee D'Orsay. I went into the Mona Lisa exhibit thinking I would be in nearly as much awe as I was with Van Gogh, but was sorely disappointed. I felt nothing, saw nothing in the eyes of the subject, noted nothing in the meticulous brush strokes. What an enormous disappointment that was. Not to say I didn't enjoy the Louvre, it's more that I would have preferred to spend another few hours in the Musee D'Orsay.
I then spent a stunning few days at the sea with two other exchange students and one of their host families. We took a little trip to a Canadian War Cemetery on our way to Bruges so that I could lay flowers on the grave of a relative. Bruges was amazing! In every way, I was in awe of this beautiful Gothic medieval town. We took a canal tour of the city, and to be surrounded on all sides by it's marvel took my breath away. I almost overcame my fear and climbed the tower that shows a perfect view of the whole city, but I suppose that will have to wait till next time!
I unfortunately must be getting to bed now as I have school tomorrow, but I will update as soon as I am able. I am hopefully spending the weekend with some exchange students I met in Paris :)
Much love,
Amalie

No comments:

Post a Comment