week 1-2 at the pastry lab

school grounds,view from the kitchen.





my legs hurt, my body aches.,i feel like my nose is bleeding from the sudden influx of french terminology which i should comprehend at lightning speed.yes, this is how intensive the training is I feel like im in the survivor series, only in a kitchen setting.lol.
I get up at around 5 am to make it in time for the 7am call time in the lab.When its a day at the boulangerie, you have to be in school by 6am. It's considered a lucky day if u get a max of 30 mins for lunch at around 1pm(no other breaks).130-145 you get on with either oenology,french language classes, dessin(art/design classes).then you get off between5-7pm.I am overwhelmed with how much the Ferrandi program is putting into this.They certainly make sure you get your every euro spent worth it. The pastry program is amazing.The chefs are amazing. Very friendly but strict. Since the students have different backgrounds, they cater to every student's needs individually. We have made all kinds of tarts this past week, and although it is pretty fast paced inside the kitchen, you get individual hands on for each piece, start from scratch and compose the final piece.I will get into more detail over the weekend. Right now i just wanna drop dead on my bed and get as much rest and sleep i can to start fresh tomorrow. Here are a few pics in the lab.

fenny,kelly and me checkin out our tool kits

listening to Didier Averty(probably monkeying around again haha)
caf food!buffet style(neva gonna get so much again!)


chef Didier, me on the side, probably searchin for some tool.

the walk home, I leave the house before the sun comes, i journey home missing the day's sun!

Finding the right apartment in Paris

Day 1 in Paris: I arrived at my apartment, a 10sqm flat with everything inside. It was nice, perfect for a student but to make a long story short,I didnt like it,i have a long list of reasons why i didnt like it but i opt to skip that. So i had to cancel my contract and got fined for the termination.
Moral of the story: Before you close a deal with a landlord over the net, it is best to look at the place first and go through the terms one by one.Get into details. Do not sign a deal unless you have seen the place. Before school starts, give at the least 2 weeks to settle in Paris, Best to book one of those student hostels temporarily while you look for a studette/flat. Believe me when I recommend this.I arrived a week before school started and it was a VERY tough time for me.
It really depends on what you are accustomed to then having to shift to something else, apart from the homesickness and jetlag, you may need time to recover from all of this first before you get into a lease contract.A few classmates have the same sentiment so be careful and give yourself time to decide.
Now, with the help of friends and family, i have found a pretty apartment with a good landlord, a place which i can call my temporary home for the next 8 months.. it is pretty far from the school but, i think that any arrondisement you choose is fine,the metro takes you everywhere, so its not such a big deal. You just have to make sure that it is in a safe neighborhood (generally Paris is a safe city, but just like anywhere else in the world, there are still notorious areas, just to make sure too especially if you are a young woman).