JDRF

I didn't want to wake up this morning but I had to. I had committed to doing the JDRF run/walk and was going to stick with it. I usually run the event but this year I decided to walk it instead. I've just been so tired lately. I have been feeling completely lost ever since coming back from Paris.
Anyhow...it was a cold morning today. I decided not to dress so warm cuz I knew it would warm up by the time the walk starts. Well...I was stuck in the cold for some time and I think that messed me up. I came home all stuffed and with a running nose. It eventually went away, but I was really tired afterwards and even feel asleep watching the Chargers play...which doesn't happen cuz I love watching LT run the hell out of the Texans.
But the one thing I wanted to talk about was how I ran into a certain person at the race. He was there volunteering. I went up to say hello and all he could talk about was how him and his friends got wasted last night and how he had only 30 mins of sleep before showing up to volunteer. What an ass!
"How freakin old are you that you are still talking about getting wasted?"
Newsflash...we are not in college anymore.
Then he goes on talking about how this girl was so wasted that she puked all over the place. Sort of like he was bragging about something...but I don't know what. This was not even a conversation to me. I just let it be...nodded my head as if I was amused and pretended as if I cared.
Geez...when will these ppl grow up? It's no wonder why we're not good friends. My gosh...how far have I growned up compared to these ppl? It's like light years ahead.
Well, the walk was great. I felt really good afterwards and it reminded me of when I went jogging on a regular basis. These days...I just don't seem to have time for anything anymore.

I LOVE PARIS!

I LOVE PARIS! Someone needs to put that quote on a t-shirt!
I'm finally back from my trip to Paris, France. Although I was there for work, I certainly made a trip out of it...and a great one indeed.
All thanks to my cousins. Truly, without them this trip would not be as special as it was. Meeting them for the first time and having so much fun with each other...was like icing and cherry on top of the cake. I think we connected on a level that was unimaginable.
Not only had we never met before, but we also had a huge language barrier. They all spoke French and Chinese, while I only spoke English and Vietnamese. And not to forget that I only had 10 days in Paris and spent 5 of those days working and not getting to spend these days with them. In actuality, I only had 3 days with my cousins. And to get along the way we did...it just blows my mind.
The funniest thing was that we spoke Vietnamese with each other but it was so broken. They could understand, but couldn't speak so well so I had to speak really really slowly and very very choppy just for them to understand me. It was just too funny.

To quickly summarize my trip...
I flew out of Houston Friday evening Oct 5th. My flight was delayed due to rain that appeared out of nowhere. It was a very bumpy and scary flight.
I arrived to Paris Saturday around noon and was greeted at the airport by my aunt, one of my cousin and her bf. I spent this day meeting the rest of my family, most I was meeting for the first time.
That evening, we had dinner at one of my uncle's restaurant inside Paris in Crimee. It was a Chinese restaurant. The food was really good. I had a really good time.
Then on Sunday, I went with my aunt, uncle, and two of my cousins to see the Tour Eiffel, St. Louis and the Notre Dame. I can't even describe in words how beautiful everything was. Whatever word I need to describe how amazing it is to see all this in person does not exist in my vocabulary.
Then Monday morning I was off to check into my hotel in Montparnasse...almost in the heart of Paris. My aunt came with me cuz she didn't want me to get lost with the train system. I really appreciated her doing that, although I didn't want her to waste her time.
After checking in, I had about the most expensive sandwich ever in my life. So expensive that I saved the half for dinner. Don't worry, I got used to the high cost eventually. After lunch, I made my way to work in Clamart all by myself...hehehe. I got there safely...no problems. That evening, I discovered that just around the corner of my hotel, I had the most beautiful view. I had a perfect view of the Tour Eiffel. It is so gorgeous at night.
From this day on...it was work, work, and more work.
Tuesday night, after work, I flew with two other guys down south of France to Montpellier. We had dinner at such a beautiful place that was just in between 3 huge buildings. I had too much to drink.
Wednesday we went to visit the contract manufacturer building our system. Things went well.
We flew back to Paris that same evening. We had more wine for lunch so that pretty much knocked me out during the flight back. I slept through everything. I missed dinner so when I arrived back to my hotel (~10pm), I ordered a cheeseburger and that filled me up quick. It was not even close to a cheeseburger here in the states. It actually tasted really good.
Then I was back at work in our Clamart campus the next morning. Thursday night, I spent the evening having dinner with my former boss who now works in our Clamart campus. He took me to have crepes. It was really good...especially the dessert. However...I couldn't finish cuz it contained too much alcohol. I had what was called a Martiniquise. It was a crepe filled with bananas, melted chocolate, coconut ice cream all flambeed over rum from Martinique. Apparently the flame did not absorb all the liquor so parts of the crepe was just burning my nose. The alcohol was really really strong. Nothing like I've ever had here. But I was also introduced to cider. Not the same as the cider crap we have here. I was very tasteful.
Then Friday, I packed my bags, checked out of my hotel, and headed to work. After work, I headed back to my aunt's place in Creteil. It was a 2 hour trip for me. I was greeted by 3 of my cousins. That was so sweet of them to come out to pick me up from the metro.
Saturday morning the 3 of us hitted Paris. We went to visit the Arc de Triomphe, the Opera and then down the Champs Elysees, the Louvre, the garden of the Louvre, the Pompidou (modern arts museum) and then ended our day at the Hotel de Ville. This was a day full of memories that will last with me a lifetime! I bonded with my cousins like I've never bonded with anybody in such a short period of time.
Saturday evening we got together again at my uncle's restaurant for dinner with the entire family. I was treating. I had a blast. As the night ended and I was saying goodbye to my four cousins and aunt, I broke out in tears. I don't know what happened. I just knew I was going to miss them dearly. That evening I went to stay at my other family's place. It was the place of my uncle who owned the restaurant.
Sunday I spent the day with him, his wife and daughter. It was a more of a peaceful time with this family as oppose to my other with the 4 girls. Well, we went to see the Sacre Coeur and Versailles. Both were amazing sights. It was unbelievable!
Later that evening we had dinner at a place called Hippopotamus. Funny name, but food was really good.
Monday afternoon, I was on a plane back to Houston. I arrived only to find that they lost my 2 checked in luggages. It eventually showed up the next morning so I was happy.

Overall, I had a great time. I can't wait to be sent back or to go on vacation. I have been missing my cousins like crazy all week long. It was because of them that made my visit to Paris so rewarding.