Well then.

So I've returned home! I've been home for two weeks (ish). The last couple of days in Paris were a whirlwind, with my parents visiting and saying goodbye to best collective year, so far. I would say that my sophomore year of college was the best in recent memory. But I was exhausted and stressed most of the time. My year in Paris was also stressful and exhausting and difficult, but I learned so much about myself. It was hard in a good way. It was emotionally and intellectually strenuous. But I loved it. I appreciated it. And I would pack up and go back tomorrow. This afternoon, even.

After struggling with finding jobs (Luna Park was so horrible), I might be close to something good... more details to come.

I'm restarting my low-glycemic diet. Completely rearranging what I eat (permanently) is difficult. You really have to plan out your whole day in food choices, and keep reminding yourself of what is a healthy balance and what is not. But, since I've come to the conclusion that I would one day like to have children, and I would not want that to be really difficult to do when I'm ready for that decision, it's time to get it all in gear.

It also means having a better relationship with food. When I was studying ballet at the Joffrey, it got to a point I was told every day that I needed to lose weight (this started when I was 9 or 10 and ended when I left at 14). I know that I have a warped body image, but I think it will change when I feel better about myself.

By the way, in case it wasn't clear, I have a mild case of PCOS. So, even when I was pre-pubescent and told to lose weight, it was very difficult. A little justice via legitimate excuse for a 12-year-old who couldn't look in the mirror (I used to spot my turns with my eyes above the mirror in the dance studio so I didn't have to see the reflection... it had negative effects on pirouettes, to say the least).


Anyways... the point of all this is to say that one of my goals this summer is to get it all under control. This is not a weight loss blog. But, I will be trying out diabetes recipes. When I was France, I learned from my host family how nice and pleasant it is to cook dinner and sit with your family. You eat better, and it costs less. So it might be a little food blog-y for a while. But that's what's on my mind.

Also, I've started taking Hot Power Yoga at Pure on the Upper West Side. It's painful, but fun and it feels really good to sweat it all away.

This is the summer of feeling good about yourself, and about being happy.

I'm also turning 21 soon.

I'm in London!

First trip outside of France since arriving in August (excluding when I went home for winter break). It's great, my friend Sandra is the best host, and it feels wonderful to take a break from Paris. More details and pictures to come!

We go to Touquet

Before I recount what was the most relaxing and most-needed day, I just need to get this off my chest... I FINISHED MY YEAR AT SCIENCES PO!!! I SUBMITTED MY LAST PAPER, AND I AM SO DONE!!! THIS FEELS AMAZING!!!

So, yesterday we went to the beach. It was actually too cold to swim (I didn't even bring a bathing suit). But the weather was really nice, and the town was charming. It reminded me so much of Falmouth or Wood's Hole that I am now shaking with excitement for Martha's Vineyard! My favorite place in the whole world.

It was absolutely charming. It was great to get outside of Paris and let my brain and my skin breathe. We left early from Gare du Nord, and came back around 20h. Sliding through the French countryside confirmed that I am coming back to France. I love this country way to much.

D'var Torah, Parshat Emor

(I wrote this for Kesher services today)

Shabbat shalom from Paris! I wish I could be there with you to give this D’var Torah myself, but thank you to Mickey, for reading this for me.

Parshat Emor is very interesting. Truly. We get rules for the kohein, the priests, the practices for the holidays, we also get the famous phrase, “eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth.” If I were to go with the latter phrase, I would probably share a story about a fight I had with my sister, Emma, and lessons I’ve learned from her. But having been abroad for a year has caused me to reflect on things more profound in my Judaism than on my relationship with Emma, without any disrespect to her. She’s the best.

So, while reading the Parshat for this week, I was caught between two observations. One, that God gives Moses and the Jewish people the important holidays, which define the lives of today’s Jews all across the world. Two, some of the rules, particularly those regarding sex and marriage, but also the consequences for not observing to the T some of the holidays are quite strict, if not violent. Women, especially those related to priests, really have a hard time of it.

I don’t know how to handle those two aspects. How could a peaceful and loving God, that of Judaism, who gives us comfort from a religious, spiritual, cultural, or traditional standpoint condone stoning and ostracizing?

Ok, well, there’s my personal struggle: how do I handle my Judaism if I am slightly offended by and I don’t abide by these rules? Moreover, how does Reform Judaism deal with rules like these, but maintain the core practices of tradition? For example, in Parashat Emor, God lays out the practices of Yom Kippur saying, “For it is a Day of Atonement, on which expiation is made on your behalf before the Lord your God. 29 Indeed, any person who does not practice self-denial throughout that day shall be cut off from his kin; 30 and whoever does any work throughout that day, I will cause that person to perish from among his people. 31 Do no work whatever; it is a law for all time, throughout the ages in all your settlements.”

Have you ever been cut off from your kin for not fasting on Yom Kippur? Or maybe you’ve all fasted.

Regardless, I think passages like this pose an essential question about how we personally understand Judaism, but also how Kesher, our Jewish communities at home, and how our movement does as well. One of the most important lessons I learned about my own attitude to Judaism and to Reform Judaism was at Cornell. It is the following: that whatever choice we make about our practices and our beliefs, that they should be conscientious and well informed. For example, I might like to hear the names of the Imahot in the Avidah, because my name is Sarah, but in Reform Judaism and in Kesher we say those names in recognition of the role of women in the Torah because equality between the sexes is an important value for us. It is for decisions like that in the Reform Judaism that is practiced today that I can personally reconcile passages like Ch. 21 verses 1-4 of Leviticus, which forbids a kohein from “defiling” himself by burying his wife, or others. The exceptions to this rule in include family members who are related by flesh, women included (mothers and virgin sisters only). While including the Imahot may seem like a small gesture, I think it’s the thought behind it that gives it power. That is to say, even though we might be finding our own paths through the Torah and halacha, it might be our personal journeys and our journey as a minyan that gives us that profound feeling that comes with being Jewish. Consider Jewish history, it’s nothing if not a long, arduous, but profound journey.

While I think my D’var so far has been more of a personal reflection than anything, I would like to indulge in one more. Being abroad for an entire year (all the Jewish holidays), has really forced me to reflect on how I was going to be Jewish outside of my hometown, New York City, and my other community, Cornell. To be completely honest, I didn’t do any of the religious practices. I didn’t feel like paying exorbitant fees for tickets for High Holidays, seders, or the like. You can’t put a price on Judaism. Meaning worship should be free. Just saying.

But that doesn’t mean that I felt disconnected from “feeling” Jewish. Even though I didn’t go to temple, because I was often the only Jew in the room for the first time in my life, I held onto what being Jewish meant to me with more tenacity than ever before. In one of my classes this semester, there was another exchange student in my class who was also Jewish, who goes to Columbia. When we realized that the other was also Jewish, there was this moment of recognition in the other, like “It’s you!” But outside a few conversations with her, and two students from Cornell studying at different universities in Paris, it was really like being Jewish alone. Which was strange for me, because I identify Judaism with community.

Then, in the end of March, France had its worst anti-Semitic attack in thirty years. Exiting President Sarkozy raised the terror alert in France to its highest possible level. I participated in my first march: a silent walk from Place de la République to Bastille the night of the attacks on the school in Toulouse. At school the next few days, I sat in class or in the library trying to work on the verge of tears. In cruel irony, I had to give an exposé on anti-Semitism in Europe in the 19th and 20th centuries the day after the attacks. Even though I hadn’t fasted on Yom Kippur, or had gone to Friday night services in a long time, the feeling of belonging remained. I missed Kesher.

My ultimate conclusion is that Judaism is a challenge. It requires each person, each minyan, each community, each movement to figure out for himself, herself, or itself, what has meaning and why. But it’s a challenge that’s fulfilling. I’m pretty sure that if I hadn’t gone through the entire personal and communal questionings that I had as a member of Kesher, I would not have had the grounding I needed to hold onto my sense of Judaism while abroad. It’s super corny, I know, but I think we all have those moments when we go through a crucial moment of self-reflection, and so it stays with us always as a benchmark or guide.

Needless to say, I am really looking forward to coming back to Kesher. I can’t wait to meet all of you who have joined this year, and I wish I were there to say Mazel tov to those who are graduating or moving on. Félicitations, nonetheless. Thanks again to Mickey for helping me organizing this, and to all of you for hanging in there and listening. Have great summers! See you in August (or hopefully earlier or by Skype)!

I would then ask you all these questions: do you feel like Judaism is a challenge? How so? How do you reconcile halacha and Torah with your everyday practice?

OH MAH GAW OBAMA

For the win! I mean, way to take your time. And way to wait until your VP and Sec of Ed jumped the gun. I guess better late than never? I mean it seems kinda elections-driven. At the end of the day, the President of the United States unequivocally supports same-sex marriage. 

If only you were this upfront and straight forward about economic issues. Or health care. Or most things not regarding IR or defense. On that front, you rule hands down.

JK. Not time to criticize. Time to say, I am really proud of my president. Because it's not about whether you want or don't want to get gay-married. It's about civil and civic rights. It's about not imposing your world view or religion on someone else. It's about equality. It's about liberty. It's about what the USA was supposedly founded on. Yay. I don't ever get this patriotic.

Will Obama do what we need him to do?

Will Obama come out in support of same-sex marriage? Here's hoping. After Biden's and Duncan's statements, it seems like he has to clear things up. His administration no longer defends DOMA. It's up to him to strike it down for good, as I can't trust SCOTUS to do it. Even though I love RBG. But can't leave it up to the four liberals. Lol I just noticed that RBG and I have basically the same initials (mine are SBG). 

Finished my last test at Scipo. Just a paper left. My hand is all cramped from writing my 8.5 pager. I haven't had a four hour exam I think since AP Euro. Finals at CU are 2hrs, right?

(Obama is scheduled to give an interview today, some aired this afternoon EST, some tomorrow morning EST)

Il a gagné!

Before I return to being a real person with schoolwork to do, a quick recap of the French election (photos and my own analysis later, I promise, when I find another opportunity to procrastinate).


Last night, François Hollande became the second socialist president of France. Au revoir, Sarkozy. It was an absolutely amazing moment. I was so happy and excite for France. Listening to the speeches of the politicians, they reminded that there is glory, importance, and integrity in being a Leftist, which the Democrats often forget. The international community seems to be a little confused with what to do with Hollande: on the one hand, some countries see France as an ally instead of an international police officer (superflic Sarkozy, au revoir), other are wary of what a socialist-minded world leader will do to the status quo (I'm talking to you, Mr. President, and you, Frau Bundeskanzlerin).


I went to Bastille to celebrate, and got impatient with waiting for Hollande. I left around 00:30, and I think he got there about a half hour later. Oh well. I had to catch the last metro. I did see my favorite, Ségolène Royal, Lionel Jospin, Manuel Valls, Arnaud Montebourg, Bertrand Delanoë, Jean-Michel Baylet (eh), and was made extremely uncomfortable by some overly attentive Turkish men, who didn't ever tell me their names, but kept asking to get a Coke with them. Nice.


Anyways. Sarko is leaving politics. And there's a socialist at l'Élysée. Not bad, France.

The French media weren't allowed to post this until 20h

But the Belgian and the Swiss press weren't to be bothered:

That's pretty much the inverse PS/UMP from 2007, when Sarko got 53% and Royal got 47% (Royal, who is also the ex-companion of Hollande, and mother of his four children).

I'm containing my glee until it's official.

I'm literally so nervous for this election that I can't do anything

I have to keep unnecessarily updating and adjusting. See what I did just there? Exactly what I'm talking about. It's not that I don't have anything to do. I have a final to study for and a paper to write. Also a D'var Torah to write for Friday. I should probably sign myself out of Twitter, Facebook, Gmail, Blogger, life. But then I wouldn't get my updates fix.

I'm also debating on whether or not I want to go to Bastille tonight. If Hollande wins, I might go later, because it would be a while before he speaks, and then makes his way from Tulle to Paris, it'll be a while regardless.

Sarko, Hollande, and former candidates from the 1er tour vote, TF1

7h45 and counting.

It's Election Day in France

Aux urnes, citoyens!

Today France will elect its next president. Sarkozy become the second president to lose reelection? Will Hollande become the second socialist president, and the second François president? Or will the gaullists continue to reign supreme over the regime they created?

It's a rainy, gross day. That means people will not be out amusing themselves in lovely weather, so should hopefully have nothing better to do than go vote.

There won't be news throughout the day, like in the States, because it's against French law to publish any commentaries, polls, or anything regarding election news, (including the candidates, who aren't allowed to make any political statements) in fear of invalidating the election. So, since the campaigns were suspended at Friday midnight, there hasn't been any news. Except for Hollande's trip to the market in the town where he was mayor. It might have been a little crafty, but it was certainly an endearing move. (For description and pictures - Libération, More pictures - Le Monde).

À la Bastille!

Antigone, the dissident

Writing about Sophocles' Antigone in the context of literature and law should be really interesting and engaging. However, after this year at Sciences Po, I am completely in capable of taking a side. That is to say, I have absolutely no opinion about whether or not Antigone is a brave dissident in the face of tyranny, or a glorified fool who doesn't know what law is and how to follow it.

I first read the play in 9th Grade, in Mr. Weisberg's English class. I think my final paper was something about taking pity on Creon (just goes to show you that at a young age I was already fascinated by political power). Is that a strange? Perhaps.

I've read now three times. Twice in French, over the past three months There's something about it that doesn't really speak to me. Maybe I have a hard time putting myself in Antigone's shoes because she's so whiny and overly dramatic. Because I'm never whiny and overly dramatic. Or because I've never been faced with a question or a cause that made me want to put my life on the line. One could argue, however, that Antigone had a death wish (considering her life had been shrouded in death), and so found the perfect opportunity to act on it.

I think for the purposes of my dissert', it's actually about the ambiguity of justice, and what kind of law we follow. Because if both sides make legitimate claims, but one is "human" law, or law of nations, and the other is natural law or even divine law, then how can you possibly reconcile?

This was a very helpful brainstorm for my paper. Much thanks. Tune in tomorrow for election craziness!

PUTAAAAAAAIN (excuse my French)

Nouveau cadeau in my inbox:

"L'administration de Sciences po vient de nous confirmer qu'aucun examen sur table ne peut matériellement être organisé pour les étudiants de notre séminaire. Nous renonçons donc à cette formule. Afin de permettre cependant une appréciation globale plus juste, reposant, non seulement sur vos interventions orales, mais sur un texte écrit, nous vous demandons de nous adresser, par courriel, un texte de 8000 à 10 000 signes (intervalles compris) portant sur une autre oeuvre que celle à laquelle vous avez déjà consacré un exposé. Nous vous laissons choisir librement cette oeuvre parmi les auteurs inscrits au programme du séminaire de ce semestre (1).

Afin de respecter les délais de remise des fiches d'évaluation, vos dissertations devront nous parvenir au plus tard le 14 mai.

Bien attentivement à vous, en vous souhaitant bon courage,

M-A F. R.

A-G S.

(1) Sophocle, Shakespeare, Balzac, Flaubert, Kafka, Dostoievski, Anouilh, Céline, Jonathan Littell."

adfhadfjasjdfkasdnfa;ckahg;aldksdfa;sdfkahdsfalsdjfasdlfadjfahlsdfajksdfhlasdfj "littérature et droit"... officially my least favorite class in my academic career (dislike greater than high school algebra 2/trig-accelerated), and the profs officially the least organized and most ridiculous I've ever had (for example, making fun of an exchange student for his accent during the reprise for his exposé). seriously. WTF. Letting us know NOW?

ARGH I THOUGHT I WAS DONE LE NEUF MAI 

VDM

It's actually not that bad. It's just annoying. Well, it's a good thing that I got so far ahead on studying for "histoire politique de l'Europe au XX siècle." Now I have extra, lovely time to work on a paper. I'm that these profs are such hard graders, when they can barely make it to class prepared. xoxo.

The state of religion in the States.

From about 19:50 on in the interview, into the extended section.

Thank you, Jon Stewart, for expressing what I have been feeling for a long time.

http://www.thedailyshow.com/full-episodes/tue-may-1-2012-david-barton

Le 1er mai - la fête du (vrai) travail

While I would have certainly preferred a Hollande rally to a Sarkozy rally (and because I got the times wrong for the Marine Le Pen rally - which I saw via lemonde.fr was rife with symbolism perfect for my thesis, so I ought to have gone), Sarko spoke at Trocadéro this afternoon in honor of "May Day," International Worker's Day, and French Labor Day.

Here's the set "Le choix présidentiel:" my pictures from the rally and the afternoon.

It was interesting to say the least. It was held at Trocadéro, so he had the Eiffel Tour in the background. Not shabby. The theme music was really intense, almost scary. Certainly plays off the whole fear-mongering theme. It's kind of ironic, though, that his slogan is "La France forte." So under five years of your leadership, France hasn't been strong? Why is threat so much greater now than before? It's not like you can blame the Left, really, because you haven't had a cohabitation.

I was very happy to have captured some of the cheering, particularly the singing of the Marseillaise. It's certainly a rousing song. The speech today was unsurprising, but I'm always curious about the references made. Sarkozy made use of not only Charles de Gaulle, but the glorious artistic, cultural, intellectual history of France: "les enfants de Voltaire," "une langue universelle." It's absolutely fascinating to me. It was also those references that got the crowd the most excited. A couple of quick sentences about the dangers of "communautarisme" and immigration resounded across the crowd. It was then that I became extremely self-conscious for myself and my English-speaking friends.

Regardless, we did notice that the crowd was significantly older than, say, those who attend President Obama's rallies. Sure, that's the whole idea of the Obama campaign, but the fact that they came out, on their days off, in the sun, to stand in a huge mass of people, some supports with canes or rather quite frail, was impressive. I guess that's the convergence between being the president as well as the candidate.

Although I didn't get to see the screen, it was pretty cool to hear Sarkozy's voice live, especially since he chickened out from coming to Sciences Po.

Here is a very amateur splice of the better videos that I took. Please don't judge me for poor editing, I know it's bad. I think it's funny to hear what the people in the crowd are saying to one another, as well as getting an idea of what the atmosphere was like.

In other news, today Minister of Defense, Gérard Longuet, was interviewed in Minute, a weekly extreme right paper. The article was under the title "Barrage à Hollande," and the takeaway is, "Les patriotes ne peuvent pas laisser passer François Hollande." Basically, a UMP plea for FN votes. Terrifying. Especially for me who is technically an immigrant, and might want to become an official one some day.

Tomorrow night is the presidential debate. I am very excited! I actually scheduled dinner plans around it so I could go home and watch it in time.

We finally have good weather here. My host mom's daughter and granddaughter have been spending the past two days with us, which I like, because everyone is friendlier, and we have really good meals. There's lots of fun stories regarding my wonderful host family, which is another post entirely to itself. But for now, it's just la politique.

If you're interested in other pieces I've written while being here about French politics, check out La Péniche, "Trying to Explain American Politics to French People" and Educo / La millefeuille, "La passion politique" (it's in French, tant pis)

April 24

It rained and was gross today. It took all my energy to get out of bed. Had a great lunch and afternoon with friends from my ballroom class.

Now sitting in the living room, window open, sun shining, cup of hot chocolate, ready to get ahead on my studying. Not bad, Paris. Not bad.

Inspiration, a work in progress

Ségolène Royal, Kirsten Gillibrand, Barack Obama, René de Chateaubriand, Jane Eyre, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Robert Kennedy

If you read the NY Times to get information about French Politics.

Stop. It won't tell you enough. And they're subtly/not-so-subtly supporting Sarko. I'm talking to you, writers at The Diplomacist. Twice I've read articles lacking in nuance. The first time, I restrained myself from commenting. The second time, I just had to intervene. Not that I'm the world's greatest expert on French politics. I'm really, really, really not. I'm a student. I'm learning. But I'd like to think I've learned enough that one can't be an expert on everything. Especially at the ripe old age of college student.

Back to my original point, it takes a long time to get to know a different political system. I know. It's taken me at least four semesters to learn the French one. Two of which were in France. But that's why I don't write about elections in Japan. Even though I lived there, I don't know enough about the situation to educatedly comment on it in written form, in a public forum. And reading just one or two major news sources isn't enough.

I have a really strong penchant for leaving it to the experts. It might be over-developed, but it you've got to admit I have a point though...

It's snowing in Ithaca

But it's raining in Paris. And it's cold. The day started off so nice.

It's a depressing sort of day that weighs on your mood. I'm just going to make it through to the next class, then go home and sleep. One of those days. Paris is beautiful in the rain. But not when it's windy, cold, and dark.

It's the last day of class, and there's no charm to it.

I just had my last class. Lecture for "Histoire politique de l'Europe au XXe siècle." These really obnoxious kids sitting in front of me (who come to class every so often) talked through the whole lecture. It's not worth the energy ranting about how rude they are.

Long applause for the professor, which was well-deserved. A little homage to Richard DESCOINGS at the end... for all his amazing work, and opening up Sciences Po to international students. Good way to end my year here... though I'm not totally done. Still two more tests await me.

I walked out of class, and the sun was shining.

April 23, 2012

It's a beautiful day in Paris.

The view out my window

And my last day of classes. Goodbye to a year at Sciences Po. Only two (and possibly only one) test remain between me and the finish line. But considering that I have two weeks to study, I'm basically in vacation mode.

I can't as yet let go of Paris. And I don't have to for about a month.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My list as of right now of things left to do:
All the arrondissements in one day
Musée d'Orsay (again and again and again)
Watch the sun rise over Notre Dame
Visit: Melun, Argenteuil (because of sentimental, not touristic reasons), Cote d'Azur
Have a picnic in Buttes Chaumont
Find Alfred Dreyfus at the Montparnasse Cemetary
To be continued...

#FH2012

"Ce soir, je deviens par le vote des Français le candidat de toutes les forces qui veulent clore une page et en ouvrir une autre où tous les atouts de la France seront mobilisés. Je pense à la jeunesse qui attend que lui soit enfin donnée toute sa place, et je le ferai." - François Hollande 22/04/2012

Best campaign video I have ever seen

Even better than the 30-min Obama commercial in 2008.

#Hollande 2012
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xq98gp_hollande-par-francois_news

This one is underlined by imminent danger. It's actually scary rather than hopeful. (#Sarkozy2012)
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xq0wz2_clip-officiel-de-campagne-de-nicolas-sarkozy-format-long_news?search_algo=1

L'élection présidentielle

Hollande en tête. #Hollande2012. I hope he wins. This is a good sign, but it's best not to get too cocky. Actually, it's the first time that an incumbent president didn't win the first round in reelection. Granted, that's only three times (Giscard, Mitterrand, Chirac), but all are very very different situations. 1981 was the first win for the left in the history of the Vth Republic. 1988, Mitterrand reelection. 2002 was the strangest 1st round ever, because the PM Jospin lost by 0,5% to JM Le Pen with 16,7%. Chirac both rounds.

These are the front pages of the three main newspapers:

Here is Le Monde, to the center-left

Here is Libération, to the left

Here is Le Figaro to the right. They have the best graphics, unfortunately.

I was watching TF1's coverage. They had Cécile Duflot (EELV), NKM (UMP), Jean-François Copé (UMP), Pierre Moscovici (PS), Martine Aubry (PS), and others from the PCF, Modem, and FN, but I already forgot who they were. The debate got so heated and annoying that I had to turn it off. I was watching to get coverage of the speeches, but they were favoring the debate over the speeches, so I'll just wait and watch them later on tonight. More commentary then. But Jean-Luc Mélenchon has already proclaimed his support for Hollande.

It's Election Day in France!

I took a series of quizzes about whose program I am the most similar to:

Mad scary that right after François Hollande comes Marine Le Pen. I guess she really is right-wing national and quasi-left-wing social. Terrifying.

I guess I really am "de gauche"

More on results later.

Here I am in Paris

I've been the worst blogger ever. Seriously. I am about 40 days away from getting on a plane and ending my year abroad. I have had the best and worst year of my life. But mostly, the best. My plan now is to work backwards. To repost pictures, to revisit certain moments, stories, and experiences, from the very first day, to the very last. I probably won't be able to do it in chronological order. But I will post with the date/period of time what I am recounting happened.

I have three classes left. Two "real" ones, and one sport class. And I have two tests. Then I'm done. I'm having a hard time believing that. Because I'm not ready to let go (I'm terrible with change), I'm going to work backwards through my life in Paris, so I have a record of what this was like. And I'll also be better about moving forward.