Now, my Grandpa is not your average Grandpa. He happens to be (though he insists otherwise) a genius. His accomplishments, for the most part, go right over my science-less head but I do know that he has, successfully, devoted much of his life to improving the lives (more specifically, the ears) of deaf children. He is multi-lingual (American sign language, German, English and an assortment of others), an avid artist book collector, a committed race-walker, a lover of the arts and of wine, as I was lucky enough to learn. I had never spent that much time with him before. He joked that I really got to know my Grandpa while he was here. I did.
He tells stories and stories and stories. Sleeping in a land mine in 1952 Germany, seeing Albert Einstein at a Princeton lecture remove his hat to let fly his famous fro, doctoring the famous and befriending the infamous. We talked about our common lack of religion ("... it happened when I realized I could turn the ever-lasting light off with an electric switch") and he was the first person to make me feel better about not having a freaking clue what I want to do in 8 months. He gave me practical ideas. He is very practical; I respect that immensely.
Needless to say, I am extraordinarily glad he came to visit. Aside from three nights of supreme dining and a ticket to the Opera, I got to meet my own Grandfather.
The rest of the week was spent going to our first set of real classes outside of the 3.5 hours, 5 days a week, 2 week long intensive French course we are all required to take. I am taking:
Intensive Elementary French
Paris Monuments and Political Power
Marseilles and the Mediterranean World (includes a four day trip to Marseilles!)
African-American History at the University of Paris
It looks like it should be a good amount of work but all completely worth it.
Today NYU took us on a group day trip to Vaux-le-Vicomte. The building, itself, was the most strangely curated thing I've ever seen. In one room (only one room) there was a wax figure that they somehow made to look like he was speaking through some sort of projection. His eyes were very shifty. It was so odd. The best parts of the day were the delicious 3 course lunch with wine and the slightly-drunken post-lunch stroll through the lavish 17th century gardens.
Here are some photos from the trip:
Vaux-le-Vicomte
The gardens.
An example of how strangely this museum was arranged.Why are her clogs so big? Why does she resemble Paris Hilton?
Many unanswered questions.
Finally, Benj and I in the gardens.
I will leave on that sentimental note. Tomorrow night is Nuit Blanche, an event in Paris where museums and galleries stay open all night and tons of outdoor art installations go up for one night. One such installation is a giant disco ball being held up by a crane over the Luxembourg Gardens (see last post). I am pretty psyched.
