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Paris 3/Dec

Well, I've reached the end of my first week in Paris, and in the last 4 (or so) days, there's been adventure everywhere, mostly on Ruilin's part (for those who dont know, Ruilin is the girl I'm going to London and Italy with - perhaps a scary view of things to come).

We've been to the Louvre and there are lots of photos of me looking ecstatically happy in front of various works of art....I've tried to attach the one of me in front of Antonio Canova's *Cupid and Psyche*. Anyway, Ruilin got lost there...and if anyone knows how big the building is, its not a very good place to get lost in. But luckily, she was only lost for about 1.5 hours on one flor of one wing (out of the possible 3 of 3). The day after that, we went to Galeries Lafayette and Printemps (2 huge department stores) to do research on the development of department stores in the 19th century, and this chinese guy comes up to Ruilin and told her that he would give her money for her to buy him a LV bag. We had however been warned beforehand that if ppl did this to us, we were to refuse because more often than not, the money is counterfeit. And then yesterday, me, ruilin, and 3 other ppl got stuck in a lift where the max number of ppl allowed in the lift was 5, so the ppl who got us out weren't very happy.

We haven't spent that many nights on the town, mostly because we have to get up for breakfast at 7:30 and almost immediately afterwards have a lecture or a walking lecture for 3 hours...it gets pretty tiring. On one of the rare nights out, me, ruilin, akina and daniele did find a bar where the waiters were hot (all young men), but the clientele were dirty old men in hats. The waiters asked us to come back again, but we probably wont because the dirty old men did as well.

For people who have been keeping up with my shopping tales, I bought that cute pair of stilettos and I'm going to wear them to the Opera tonight and the ballet next week! However, it means that I'm averaging about 70-80 euros a day in expenses....at this rate, I will be starving in Italy. I am also the proud owner of a beret - the concierge said *ooh la la! tres mignonne!* He hasnt seen my shoes yet, but I reckon he'd like them too. But its gotten to the point where our teacher specifically tells me and Ruilin that we are not to go shopping anymore because everyday, one of us comes back with new clothing. She kept a close eye on us in Printemps.

Speaking of close eye, 2 ppl tried to rob one of the mature age students by prending to force their way past him out of the metro...very scary according to the others who saw it. I didnt because I went out to get a cheese and ham crepe, but i am now going to keep everything under my coat.

And there is still no progress on the Plan or the Photo Plan. I think I'm going to give up on them.