Concerning Anna-Marina

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Here's a short blog about the Amazing Anna-Marina. I already wrote a post about that time we went for tea, but I think she deserves a whole one. Anna-Marina's a legitimately-French girl in my "Democracy and Reform in China" class. When she heard I was from Wits, she introduced herself to me and told me that YAY she's coming to spend her year abroad at Wits. What a great coincidence! I'm so glad she found me - I was beginning to worry that I would never make any French friends. They're just so cool! And so is Anna-Marina. So so cool! She invites us out even though she knows she will have to spend half the time translating for us, and her friends are amazing too. We've done such lovely things together, and I wanted to write a blog just to make sure everyone knows how amazing she is.

 

Here's a list of things we've done with Anna so far:

1. Drank beer at a coffee shop around the corner from SciencesPo. It was the first and only time I've had a Kanterbrau, and I'm DYING for another one!

2. We went to Chez Angelina - this AMAZING fancy-pants restaurant on rue Rivoli in the 1st (if you don't know Paris, that means it's about 200m from the Louvre, in one of the fanciest suburbs). There we met Saskia, Anna's adorable friend. We drank delicious hot chocolate and had fun taking photos in the fancy bathroom (did I mention it was fancy?).

3. Got pretty amazingly drunk at a TERRIBLY CHEAP cocktail bar in Pigalle (again, if you don't know Paris, it's a pretty dodgy area next to Montmartre). What a crazy night. We all made it home safe though! :D

4. Dinner at Saskia's house, which ended with Saskia's neighbour inviting himself in for a drink, and us kicking him out later :P

5. Brunch at Anna-Marina's apartment in the south of Paris - picture a table packed with different teas, croissants and pain au chocolat (amazing square pastries full of Nutella), scrambled eggs, baguettes, juice, jam and everything French and delicious. The apartment is beautiful too - three bedroom and a lovely view of the park across the street.

6. Tea at the Tea Caddy (read the post here).

7. A French-style cheese & wine party, where we were just asked to bring baguettes (our French friends suspect we don't know anything about cheese - guess they're right). What a lovely evening, and everyone went home with a baguette!

 

Thanks Anna-Marina for all the lovely things you've done for Natasha and me! We are so grateful for your generosity :) we look forward to more adventures in the future! :D