Bread and Butter [Paris]: introduction part 2

I'm not going to lie. Ever since I was accepted into this program I've been very apprehensive about the new experiences and challenges that await me in Paris. But at the same time, things have happened that have proven Ma's age-old wisdom to be true: God always provides. Let me tell you the ways:

• Previously, it was explained to me that I might not get the type of internship that I was envisioning due to availability, competition with French people my age, my skills/interests/experience, etc. I was forewarned that I need to be patient and open to whatever situation I was placed in. But you know what? Turns out I got exactly what I'd wanted. La Métisse is exactly the kind of place I had in mind.
•  I was also told that I might live on the outskirts of Paris, with a single woman, and have to commute 45 minutes each way everyday. Turns out I'll be staying with a middle-aged couple and their live-in friend. And the arrondissement they live in (the 8th) is actually in the city, not in the center but close enough, and borders la Seine. What's more, the arrondissement I'll be working in (the 17th) is right next to the 8th. I'll probably still have a 15-30 minute commute, but it's still shorter than expected.
• Last Monday I got up extra early and spent two hours preparing for my Skype interview with the folks at La Métisse. It lasted all of 5 minutes, literally. 5:09 to be exact, haha. Honestly I think they just wanted to see what I look like, see if I speak French, and check if I know anything about their organization. They asked me a question about myself and I started to tell them, and before I'd said all I wanted to say they were like, "Okay, we'll take you." As usual, I'd been sweating and stressing for nothing.
• The Saturday after I arrive, there's going to be a natural hair meetup in the establishment where I start work in June. A natural. hair. meetup. With beautiful brown-skinned, natural-haired Parisians. At my future place of work. I have, like, no reason not to go!

Good things have happened for me and I haven't even left the States yet. I only pray that this continues.

Bread and Butter [Paris]: introduction part 1

I'm going to Paris, France this summer! Around this time tomorrow I will be on my way.

I know that I've mentioned going to Paris in different posts here and there in the past few months. But since I'm leaving on Tuesday, I've decided to address it directly now so that you'll be clear on what it is that I'm doing. I'll be taking French classes for two weeks, and then starting in June I'll be working as an intern at an organization called Association La Métisse. La Métisse is a non-profit that helps develop and promote local artists, in addition to providing them with the support and resources they need to be successful. I don't know exactly where I come in, but I'll probably be doing administrative tasks and learning about how artist contracts are negotiated. Also, I'll be living with a host family during my stay in Paris.
 
I wish I could tell you that I'm excited about all this, but I'm actually very anxious and dread going. There's just so much more responsibility and expectations this time around. To tell the truth, I've never been more afraid to do something in my life. 

Change and transitions are always difficult for me to handle, so I know it'll be tough for me the first week or so. But whenever times get hard, I feel uncomfortable, I regret going to Paris, or I wonder what I'm doing there, I'm going to try to remember my kindergarten self. Remember how fascinated and inspired I was when, thanks to a little TV cartoon called 'Madeline', I first found out that a place called France exists. Remember how intrigued I was when I learned that that funny-sounding language that the characters in 'Madeline' were speaking was French. I want to remember how and why I was so confident in deciding at the age of 5 or 6, I'm going to learn French and I will go to France one day. More than 15 years have passed since then and I've changed tremendously, but that dream has never wavered. Now is that "one day" that I dreamt about, and no matter how I feel right now, I refuse to do a disservice to my kindergarten self by running away or being too scared to take full advantage of it.

As I did with my trip to Japan last year, I'll be writing almost daily on this blog about my adventures in Paris. I've decided to titled this series "Bread and Butter" as a reference to the well-known prayer that the little Parisian orphan girls in 'Madeline' would say, "We love our bread, we love our butter, but most of all, we love each other." If you can't contact me otherwise, this series will be the best way to keep up with me. Please look forward to it! And please pray for me as I try to get my nerves together.

 Kindergarten dreams really do come true!

Why you trippin'?

"Why can't you just let things be? You always gotta dissect stuff and break it down so that it's bad instead of good. Why do you do that? Huh? Why you gotta question everything? Why you trippin'?"

-Ma

BOOKS! (Steal Like an Artist)

I snagged this during a trip to the DIA back in March. I was in the mood to buy something, and what better gift buy for yourself than a new book with an intriguing title?

Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon

In this nifty little guide, Austin-based author and writer Austin Kleon draws on his experiences and those of artists he admires to provide tips for tapping into and enhancing your creative process. What was creepy yet awesome for me while reading was that, I realized that I'm already doing a lot of the things he suggests. I've been doing them for years just out of habit, not contemplating the reason why or even thinking that they benefited me creatively in any significant way. I'm already living like an artist and I didn't even know it!

One important lesson that I took from this book is that we should respond to what we think is wrong or stupid not by trying to correct it, but by making something. Rather than wasting our energy trying to argue with people, we should channel that anger and frustration into our creative work.

Another lesson Kleon shares is to not shy away from people. You need some measure of solitude and seclusion in order to create, but you also grow by working with people and sharing your ideas with others. Take advantage of opportunities to get close to and learn from others, especially your "heroes" (people who inspire you and are doing the kinds of work you'd like to do).

And finally, one of the most interesting nuggets of knowledge he shared was this: don't be in a rush to get discovered. The more obscure you are, the more freedom you have to create without people telling you what to do.

This is a small, 150-page read, but it's packed with a lot of unexpected and thoughtful advice that you'll want to revisit over and over again. I know I will.  When you're easily distracted like I can be, sometimes you need reminding. I bought this at a museum, but you should be able to find Steal Like an Artist wherever books are sold. Give it a good flip-through!

Favorite quotes:

"There's no pressure when you're unknown. You can do what you want. Experiment. Do things just for the fun of it. When you're unknown, there's nothing to distract you from getting better... You'll never get that freedom back again once people start paying you attention, and especially not once they start paying you money." (p. 78)

 "If you ever find that you're the most talented person in the room, you need to find another room." (p.104)

That's That Nerve

"Nerves are natural. 'Cause I mean if you're not nervous, well then you're probably not human."

 -heybigtrender, my best friend

Recent Radio Discoveries 2

Was pleasantly surprised to hear this goodness today. I don't mind when rock and pop artists experiment with genres like soul, new jack swing, funk, and gospel, so long as they do it right.  And this rock band─ my favorite band when I was in middle school─got it soooo right!

"Ain't it Fun" by Paramore

Recent Radio Discoveries 1

About a month ago, I discovered that my school's radio station has a set called "Universal Beat" on Sundays from 6pm-8pm. During this set they play music from artists all over the world, especially from Africa and the Caribbean. These two songs stuck out to me most, and thankfully I haven't been able to shake them off.


"Number One (Remix)" by Tanzanian hip-hop artist, Diamond Platnumz

"Murda" by Nigerian/British powerhouse, Seyi Shay