Liz's Adventures

One UChicago Post Grad's Adventures Traveling, Reading and Writing.

[liz-adventures]

I think you should not buy anything right now. Save up one or two dollars doing chores this week. And then take out all your money next week to get the umbrella you really want.

Solid financial advice from an 8 year-old to her 6 year-old sister.

[liz-adventures]

Apparently That's a Thing Here

List time! There are several very New York things I (somehow) did not realize were huge things. 

Brunch. Everyone goes to brunch. Some have brunch outfits. There are famous NYC brunch locations. Almost every restaurant features a weekend brunch. Oh, and mimosas, bloody marys and other concoctions are a must.

Diners. I previously thought that diners were just those places that happened to be around for a while and are just sort of divey places that old people hang out in. Wrong. They are a thing in NYC. There are so many and everyone goes to them.

Burgers. This sort of goes along with the former since burgers are a specialty of diners, but New Yorkers love burgers. Whatttt? I have been given a list of places I MUST go to because they have the BEST burger. So far, I've gone one place. Bareburger. It's okay, it's organic. 

Worlds. There's the fashion world. The publishing world. The finance world. Must I go on? Sometimes these worlds overlap, often they are used as excuses for a person's behavior. I guess this may be true wherever you are, but for some reason, I have noticed it more here than anywhere else I've lived.

Totes. There are totes EVERYWHERE. Totes on totes on totes. Totes for stores, companies, magazines and everyone uses them. Good thing I have my Women's Athletic Association tote. I feel like I belong. 

Subway Reading. So many people read books on the subway. And printed books, not electronic books. It's pretty amazing. But maybe this is because there is no cell service in the tunnels. Absolutely none.

20-Somethings Being Poor. I recently read aloud/listened to Joan Didion's short story about her life in New York with a friend/neighbor of mine plus friends. Just as it was then, so is it now. Young people move to New York to make something happen. We do the whole writer/performer/yuppie thing living  life and trying to make something of it. I'm going to say this is a thing, because I'm living it and so are many others. 

[liz-adventures]

Working for the...what is that called again?

Good news! I have a job. Well, now I have two jobs. To be honest, I was hired a few weeks ago but didn't want to mention anything on the inter-webs until everyone who needed to know did. 

Starting September 10th, I will be working at a book review network of websites. Specifically, I will be working on the teen site and children's site. Reading YA and picture books. Watching Disney Channel and Nickelodeon. Keeping tabs on JBiebs and KStew. Befriending to authors, illustrators, editors, agents, reviewers...etc. Sounds like a dream, right?

I'm also keeping my bookstore gig for the weekends. I just couldn't give it up after getting the other job. Hopefully it works out well. The goal is to live like this until after Christmas and reevaluate life. 

So who wants to make dinner with me on weeknights and play some board games? ...But seriously. 

[liz-adventures]

Living in a Book Culture

After about three weeks since the end Columbia Publishing Program, I think it's safe to say that I've officially commenced "settling down." Actually, I prefer the French s'installer, so I'm going to go with that. Settling down has the connotation that it involves someone else. Other than my new roommate, it's just me, hanging around Manhattan and not traveling too far away from East Village. It's tranquil and lovely. It helps that one of my best friends from college lives two blocks away and that the majority of my other close friends (the recently acquired and the more familiar) do not hesitate to come down to my neighborhood. Becca, this is a direct message to you (both of you) to come visit me.

It also helps that my parents visited me a week ago and showered me in a rain of dinners out and IKEA furniture. Oh, AND air conditioning. Thanks M&D! My room is beginning to look like a home...as soon as I finally put the posters up, and hang up the clothes that have installed themselves on the left side of my bed. 

In addition to neglecting my nesting duties, I'm spending the majority of my time working at a bookstore and reading. The more book recommendations I receive, the more I realize how much obligation I feel to read. Now imagine working among books and constantly giving and receiving recommendations - and also knowing that what I should be reading are children's books. I'm afraid that Infinite Jest will rest on my bookshelf forever while I read YA, middle grade, picture books and the Italo Calvino book I just borrowed (SORRY TIM!). 

However, my thought of the moment is that I don't know whether I should be charmed or annoyed by the child who is throwing a tantrum because he just wants to read ONE MORE BOOK. I can definitely relate to his situation, especially when I'm nearing the end of a break. I just hope that I behave more appropriately in public. Or at least relatively so according to age. I'll just stick to pouting? Sounds like a plan. 

[liz-adventures]

An Entirely New Adventure

Hey World,

I know it's been a while since my last post. I'm sorry, I'm sorry. It's been a little crazy. I returned from France and spent some time at home in the suburbs of Chicago. After a month, I flew halfway across the country to New York City. I'm still here. In fact, I'll be here for quite some time. See, in the past seven weeks, I've attended the Columbia Publishing Course and fell in love with this city. Currently, I'm in an apartment in the East Village and am determined to surround myself with books–children's books, in fact. I'm going to start working at a book store tomorrow in Morningside Heights and cannot wait to be sitting in the children's basement store.

It's a relief that, after about a year and a half of constant travel, I get to settle down and make a home for myself. Stability has never been more appealing. Actually, the only place I want to travel in the next few months is Chicago for a wedding and the holidays with a weekend trip to Massachusetts to visit my grandparents' home. This does not mean the adventures have stopped or will stop. There will never be an end to the exploration. This is why I'm starting this blog up again after a few months hiatus. I'm still away from where I grew up and I'm still figuring out life. This will probably never end.

Instead of writing about France, culture shock and lesson plans, I get to talk about being young in a new city with very little money. Think of it as a record of the trials and errors of being a twenty-something Midwesterner, trying to live as an adult on the East Coast.

Enjoy,

Liz

[liz-adventures]

Last Day

This is my last day in Paris. So far, I've done a pretty decent job at trying to see what I have neglected during my past visits to Paris : Versailles, Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Musée Pompidou, fondue in Montmatre, bar in Belleville, drinking in front of the Sacre Coeur, and hours and hours of walking. Tonight, I'm getting soufflés and drinking on the Seine before coming back to my cousin's apartment to pack and organize the four bags I have to get to the airport tomorrow morning. I've already said goodbye to my cousin. This is real.

I've had to resist falling too deeply into the sentimental attitude of doing everything in France because I won't have it tomorrow. I've walked past patisseries and wine shops. Decided to take some breaks to read and grab a café. Didn't even buy a poster of a Matisse today because I remembered how much stuff I have already. In truth, my discipline is probably due to Chicago having a pretty solid food scene, and that most of what I can find in Paris, I can find in NYC (even if it is much more expensive).

I also know this will not be the last time I'm here. I can still apply for jobs in Paris, visit my cousin or just visit. Why not? My biggest concern is actually preparing myself for reverse culture shock. Don't worry, I'll give some updates on how that is going.

Au revoir, la France! Tu me manqueras beaucoup!

[liz-adventures]

"Well now, just a minute boy. How else would you get all this stuff into one suitcase, I'd like to know."

Yeah, me too.

[liz-adventures]

Last Explorations

My friend left on the night train to Paris last night. We'll meet up again on Saturday--assuming that I've packed, closed accounts and make it on the train safely on the train with all my baggage Friday night. Right now, this seems like it will be tight, but it's probably doable. I only have to do a last load of laundry, write thank you notes, return keys to each school, cancel my internet/electricity/bank account, send boxes through the post, and the general cleaning that moving entails. Woof. But let's talk about something else...

I've had an adventurous week.

Friday : I arrived in Toulouse to meet up with my friend from UChicago. We ate at a great vegetarian restaurant, went out and the following day, we wandered around until we grabbed a train to Rodez.

Saturday night : We went over to the "Goodbye Liz" apèro at my friend's apartment and then out to a Surf Rock concert.

Sunday : We hung around Rodez and had a normal relaxing day of making soup and grabbing some coffee.

Monday : We took a train to Albi and were impressed by its beautiful cathedral and Toulous-Lautrec museum. Fortunately, our sprint allowed us to be 10 minutes early for our train back to Rodez. If we had missed it, we would have also missed our wine-tasting and meeting Jean-Luc.

Tuesday : This was labor day, so we went to Rodez's manifestation, which involved representing your union and (for this year's election) your political ties--vote Hollande over Sarkozy! We then wandered Rodez to the bottom of its hill and back again before heading off to the Roquefort caves. After filling ourselves with cheese, we stopped in Millau for a beverage or two and then back to Rodez.

Wednesday : We visited the last market I'll be able to attend in Rodez (so so sad), found a new running path and enjoyed a traditional dinner at La Taverne.

So maybe it wasn't technically a full week...but we sure managed to do enough.

[liz-adventures]

My Stress is Like Woah

I've been riding the roller coaster for a little while, steadily realizing how excited I am to be back in the USA, but then hitting a curve and falling into shock over how soon I am actually going to leave Rodez. Let me relate to you the real correlation between my life and this roller coaster metaphor. The past week, I've been meeting up with friends for meals at restaurants I haven't visited before. Other than the food being fantastic at each new place, the company has been just as marvelous. Only recently has the stress of cleaning, packing and shipping boxes transferred into a panic of mindless munching and procrastination (WHY did I succumb to Pinterest!?).

I'm going to let myself blame the rain, wind and cold weather on some of my unproductive week. I can't take a cardboard box of my belongings out in a storm!!! That would be crazy. Taking laundry out would just be undoing what I'm paying up to 10 Euros a visit to achieve! And both of those undone chores are just taking up far too much of my living space to sweep or really clean... This coaster is spiraling out of control. I just feel like I'm running out of time, even though I'm really doing nothing with the time I do have. On top of that, my friend from university is coming to visit from Friday until we both leave for Paris a week after then. So really, this is about it for my alone time with my European hometown of seven months.

I'm really excited for my friend to get here and take him on my last adventures around Aveyron. I just hope the weather clears up! I'd still really like to go to Albi, see the Roquefort caves, maybe go to Millau and definitely find my way to a winery in Marcillac. PLUS, visit more restaurants Rodez has to offer. Even if I don't get to everything I'd like to do, as long as I DO pack, clean and do laundry, it can just serve as an excuse to come back and visit. I mean, I still haven't been to Nice or Bordeaux. What kind of American living in France am I?

Well, it's about 15h30. Time to go out and do my laundry and de-stress.

[liz-adventures]

See You In a Month...Or Less

This year, I have been blessed with two Easters. The first one was last week in Berlin. The best time for me to visit my college dorm roommate was during Easter weekend--she had an extra day off from school for the holiday and I was on vacation. She has been in Berlin for about a month studying German and finding a bunch of other things to do in that brilliantly artsy city. Fortunately, I had extensively toured the city last year, so we were free to walk around and explore coffee shops, Turkish markets and an abandoned ice factory...what?

My second Easter is this weekend. I am currently in Athens, visiting a former volleyball teammate who is studying abroad here with the University of Chicago. Last night, as we were walking to get some Greek food (YUM), we stumbled upon an Easter procession. Tomorrow, I'm actually going to an Orthodox service. Not bad for the first time I'll be in a church in a good few years. Go Orthodox or go home? Can we make that a thing? Maybe not. I am seeing the Acropolis today, and I am so totally stoked. I cannot believe I am in Athens right now.

As my contract slowly comes to an end, I become less and less able to believe what I have done this year. This week alone I have been to three different countries, and three fantastic European cities. What is my life? I am at the point where I am just in disbelief about everything I have been fortunate enough to have experienced. Even more to the point, it is shocking that in three weeks I'll be back in the States. The adventures won't end, but they will be in my country of origin.

Between my two Easter weekends, I made a short stop in Paris to begin visiting the museums and sites that I probably should have already seen based on the frequency in which I visit the city of lights. The night before I had to leave for the airport to Greece, my cousin asked me when the next time I'll be back. I said not until just before I leave Europe, on May 8th. He turned and just said, "Ok cool. So I'll see you in a few weeks. Not even a month." Ok. So this is real then, eh? But at least I have friends and family to return to, AND a program to look forward to. Oh, did I fail to mention? On the train from Rodez that began this traveling adventure, I found out I have been accepted into Columbia's summer publishing program! NYC, here I come!

[liz-adventures]

Reboot and Coast

The past week has been delightful. My birthday was spent with friends, champagne and regional cakes. My weekend had a lot of one-on-one time with my Californian friend, Cristella. In fact, over the weekend, we drank wine, watched Elf, went to a punk concert followed by a private sing-a-long at her apartment, and finally a nice three-hour long café frappe chat session sitting outside in front of the cathedral. All of this was successfully organized without my phone--it turns out that I left my charger in Toulouse without means of getting it back. Whoops.

Because I was without a working phone, I actually made a greater effort to find something to do with my time and connecting with people. It also made me realize how time is running out to spend with people I have met in Rodez; however, socializing will have to wait 10 more days. This upcoming weekend is another vacation (I know, right?). I'm heading to Berlin on Saturday to visit a beloved college roommate. Then, I'm spending a few days in Paris before visiting my "life little" in Athens, where she is currently studying. This will actually be my last international trip out of France before returning back to the States, leaving only a few weeks to squeeze the last out of my experience in France.

I have definitely been lucky with all of the international travel I've been able to do the past year. Last year's trip aside, I have been able to visit Sweden, Italy, (and soon to be) Germany and Greece, not to mention all of the cities in France I would never have visited had I not been living in the South. The traveling won't even calm down then. A friend from the States will be around during all of my goodbye parties and last minute Averyon travel before we both travel to Paris and fly back. It's funny that teaching is definitely secondary to the travel at this end of my stay : of the last weeks here, only two are work weeks. It's almost over. I cannot wait to not be the teacher in a classroom anymore.

Overall, my emotions have normalized since my last post--actually, the sleep and running were incredibly effective. I still haven't heard news from Columbia, but cross your fingers for news by the end of the week!

[liz-adventures]

Glass Case of Emotion

My life right now feels like a jumble of emotions, events and uncertainties that have become a melange of the weirdest moods I've had in a good long time. I have tried to diagnose what I am feeling to no avail. Maybe I should talk about my weekend and what I have been up to.

This weekend I visited Sarah in Toulouse for the last time; although, I will probably return to Toulouse one last time, Sarah left France today. She taught primaire and had a contract that ends at the end of March, but because she decided to look at law schools, she ended early and took a flight back to the States today. For a friendship that started at the beginning of October, I am confident that it's a lasting one. (Sarah, if you are reading this, I already miss your presence in France). The next time we are going to see each other is when we are both in NYC this summer, which leads me to my next bit of news.

On the train back from Toulouse I had a feeling that I should check my email. So I took out my Kindle and checked my Gmail, which is actually a chore to do because my Kindle is an older version. An email from NYU was waiting for me amid emails from friends and newsletter subscriptions I never actually read. The kicker was that NYU didn't actually let me know if I was in or out of their publishing program in the email--there was a link with the log-in information instead. Well, there was no way my reading device was going to be able to access that. I should have just waited the hour and a half to check my email to avoid traveling in anxiety the rest of the way to Rodez. Good news though: I've been accepted into the program! Now to wait for Columbia's decision, which would be an excellent birthday present. 

Yup, my birthday is on Wednesday. Although this is not the first time I've been out of the country for my birthday (or out of the range of close friends), it is the first time that I will be celebrating my birthday without my family. Because my birthday falls at the end of March, I was usually the girl who celebrated her birthday during Spring break with little school recognition. For this reason, I'm used to having birthdays sans friends or a big celebration on the day--at the same time, my family has always been there. Even though I have great friends who will celebrate with me in Rodez and I have a skype or two to look forward to, I wish I were home. I'm a little jealous of Sarah who gets to celebrate her birthday next week at home. Pshh.

All of these events, plus the diet books and sad, call to action documentaries in which I've immersed myself, have created an unbalanced Liz. But this is nothing that a good night sleep and a cleansing morning run cannot fix.

[liz-adventures]

Past, Present and Future

It's easy to guess that my weekend was incredible but perhaps in more ways than are obvious at first thought.

First of all, I was fortunate enough to be able to attend the Bologna Children's Book Fair, where I was able to mingle with Caldecott winners, publishing house executives and my former coworkers from Albert Whitman & Company. Good thing I am living in France this year, otherwise this opportunity would have passed me by. More than one person reminded me that once I enter the industry, it'll be about ten years until I may be able to attend the fair again. Woah. Being surrounded by children's books from around the world was magical. My belief that this is what I must do is reinforced and my being is, once again, infused with motivation to achieve this end. Inspiring, isn't it? But this is an adventure for after France.

This weekend was also St. Patrick's day weekend. While I did not celebrate in the slightest, it marked a year since I reunited with Erin in Ireland. Ireland was the last stop on my backpacking adventure last year. In fact, I was heading home about this time last year. How quickly a year flies by...even though that trip seemed to last forever. Oddly enough, that seven-week trip ended this time last year, when I now have about seven weeks left in Europe. Hi Universe, are you trying to tell me something?

It's funny to see how much I've changed since that trip. Nowadays, I dread staying at a hostel or traveling alone. I cannot even imagine doing anything like spending seven weeks alone again. Sometimes, it's hard for me to imagine I've already done that. In the past year, I realized how important having close friends and other like-minded people around really is. I have been so fortunate to find great friends in Rodez this year to keep me sane amid the rural countryside. Even so, I still miss my friends and family in the States.

So now I have seven weeks left in France, and some of my friends here are already leaving! In a few days, I am visiting Toulouse (for one last time) to say TTFN to Sarah. She's flying back to New York on Monday evening, the day after I say goodbye. Crazy. I am actually the first assistant in Rodez to be flying back home. I leave in early May, and the others are staying at least until June. I know once I get back I will be missing Rodez, the fresh markets and the friends I've made like mad, but at the same time, I'm ready to start the next adventure--especially after having another taste at the book fair this past weekend.

My return home will happen eventually. There is no point counting down the days or hoping time will pass more quickly. May will get here soon enough...and then there's June. Before we know it, it will be another year and we'll be looking back on what is happening now.

[liz-adventures]

Although the travel to and from Bologna was a little hectic, to say the least, it was all worth it. Bologna and the Children's Book Fair were fantastic. Definitely an experience I will remember for a lifetime. Not only was I immersed in the world of children's publishing, I was able to meet some fantastic people (Isle Plume, to name one) as well as to see some welcoming, familiar faces I had been missing. I'm putting up some pictures now, but I will definitely go into more depth about the weekend in another post. Thanks again Albert Whitman & Company for this amazing experience to add to the many you've already given me!

Also, the last image has a quotation in the background that reads, "close your eyes, see the images, read slowly, savour the wor(l)d, see the images, imagine the future, feel the colours, see the sound, smell the paper, touch the story."

[liz-adventures]

Winding Down

You all are so excited for this list, I can just tell. Now is the time where I have to begin planning on how to pack away all of the stuff I brought to France, but also all of the things family and friends have sent to me. But before I do that, check out my crazy travel schedule!

March 16-20 Bologna, Italy

March 23-25 Toulouse

March 30-April 1 Nice

April 13-16 Athens, Greece

April 27-29 Berlin, Germany

May 1-8 Wandering around France

May 8 Depart for Chicago, sweet home, Chicago

(But it doesn't stop there.)

May 18-24 Washington D.C. (with a stop in Philly)

May 25-27 Way up north in Wisconsin

June 10-ish Moving to NYC

(Stops to breathe)

I may also add a trip to Paris before Greece. It depends on how I'm feeling. Phew. I'm just tired from typing out all of those trips. I can't wait to take them. And see you all so soon!

[liz-adventures]

While in the Milan Airport

Sometimes I wonder what my thought process could possibly be, that is if it is anything more than a series of little agreements to follow the shiny objects in front of me. Last night, I took two autocars and a train to get from Rodez to Lyon. This morning, I woke up at 5h20 to walk to the tram to take the airport tram to my flight to Milan. I am now attar Milan airport, waiting for my flight that is in about nine hours. My original plan was to venture into the city and have about five or so hours of adventure before returning for my flight. However, on the first airplane of the day, I decided to see what the airport has to offer. A purchase of sunglasses and then another of wifi and here I am. I find more and more that this is the way I make decisions. I never really decided not to go into Milan; instead, I made choices that would clearly make staying in the airport the obvious thing to do. Sneaky, isn't it? I really don't mind staying here and wouldn't have felt guilty if I had just decided this upfront. I've been to Milan before and Erin recently reminded me that the sights are pretty limited. Staying in airports on St. Patrick's Day is also a common trend. Last year on this day, I left Dublin to meet Erin at the airport and together we went to Cork. How crazy is it that it's been a year? Time sure flies...at least I hope this layover does.

[emengland-blog]

I’ve just returned from Rodez, France, where I spent my birthday weekend with my friend from home who’s teaching English there. Rodez reminded me of all the things I dislike about London. The crowds, the traffic, the people who aren’t all that polite. Rodez is a small town in the Aveyron region...

[liz-adventures]

Check out another take on my weekend! This is Emily's blog. It may be lazy of me to just reuse her post...tant pis.