Spring has Sprung!

So I am sorry for not writing sooner. I had every intention of doing so, especially after Linnea pointed out my slacking off. But the problem is that every time that I go on the internet, I get really distracted and then spend lots of time chatting and things and end of wasting too much time when I should be writing my paper. So, I've been trying not to go on the internet too much, and that is why the blog hasn't been updated.
It's really beautiful here, just to rub it in for all you Minnesota folks who are still getting snow. It's been kinda hot in my little room, so I've been trying to work in libraries or parks around Paris. Last weekend it was a 4-day weekend because of May Day, and this weekend is a 5-day weekend because of May 8 being the end of WWII in Europe and because today is Pentecost. Unfortunately, because I have this paper to write, I can't fully take advantage of these long weekends, but I've been trying to make up for it by working with friends out in the sunshine.
No really exciting news, as you can tell, but I did take some pictures so that will make this post a little less boring at least.

This is my bus stop going home from work. The boulangerie (bakery, it's the red shop) is always really crowded at that time with everyone buying baguettes to take home for dinner.

This is just some street art in Belleville that I liked. This guy is actually commissioned by different businesses and the district to do his art in the Belleville neighborhood (if you want to look up where it is, it's in the north of Paris, in the 20th arrondissement). His work always has that guy, chasing the red umbrella. It's cool, because when he started, a decade or so ago, the guy was a little boy, and as time has passed, he's grown up. So his oldest murals have a boy, and the newest ones have a grown up.

This is a member of a DJ group that I saw at this club called the Fleche d'Or (Golden Arrow). They wore boxes on their heads and played music that sounded like it was from a game boy game. Very strange.

Camille and I at the Fleche d'Or, playing with settings on my camera to see how to take good pictures in the dark. We obviously didn't figure it out.

Mom, here is the Institut du Monde Arabe (the Institute of the Arab World) that you've been hearing about. It's right on the Seine and has a really lovely view. I haven't been to the museum yet, but they have a really nice library that I've done work in a few times.

Last week, the place where I work had a bunch of seminars for a group of Indonesian masters and PhD students that study Islam in the Netherlands. It was held over at Trocadero, which is right by the Eiffel Tower. This picture was taken right when I got off the metro. You can imagine that I was stunned by the view, having never seen the Eiffel Tower from this vantage point before. It's really incredible. It just opens up and you have this amazing panorama stretching out in front of you.

This is Parc Montsouris, which is just a few tram stops away from my foyer. I go there to do my homework, but as you can see, I'm not the only one. When it is nice out, Parisians come out in droves, get in their bathing suits and sprawl over every spare inch of grass in every park. It's a little overwhelming, but really good people watching. Too bad I have to write a paper.

So there are just a few glimpses into Paris life in the warm weather. I think my last post had a picture of snow, but we are way past that now. I will try to write again a couple of times before I leave, but who knows. Mike and Diana show up on Wednesday (very excited) and then Mike and I leave to go traveling on the 25th. So I just need to pack and finish my paper, plus enjoy Paris, before then, no biggie, right?
Hope it warms up for everyone in Minnesota, because I'm going to be there soon! Miss you all and can't wait to see everyone in less than a month!
Liza