I Feel So Rusty!!

When I got accepted to Le Cordon Bleu I realized I haven't really been doing any cooking or baking recently. I also started thinking that in cooking as in many other things, one of the clues to do good, is to do it often, in other words, PRACTICE.

Since where I am living right now doesn't have an oven, I can only bake when I go home, so every time I go home and bake or cook I feel kind of rusty. I take too long just to get everything ready, plus then whatever it takes for me to actually do it. Over the past months I  have tried to practice, but I must confess I haven't done it every time I go home, but I guess I am way better than when I started.

This past time when I went to get my Visa, my boyfriend asked me if I could bake him a carrot cake, since he had been craving it latelly.

Sunday evening, I got my grandma's (very, very, very) old recipe book, and used her family famous recipe for carrot cake. When I was little I used to think this cake was on the difficult side of baking, which was one of the reasons I hadn't really attempted to bake it before. But, after baking it last week, I realize is no that hard to make, is actually kind of easy.

I even managed to decorate it which hasn't been done in my family with this cake. I am so glad, I still remember the basics from my cake decorating classes. I can gladly said, that was some very well spent money, hahaha.

Here are some pictures of how the final cake looked.

Everyone gave me good reviews, about it, so I guess this cake is a keeper, but I still need more practice before I go.

Time is Running Out

Well, I have been all over the place, trying to wrap all things up, so I can leave to Paris.

Last week I went to the French Embassy in Mexico City to get my Visa. I was very worried since I was running late, and as usual in Mexico City, I was stuck in traffic. A distance that normally would take less than 5 minutes took like 20 minutes. I didn't even wait for my mom to drop me in front of the building, when we were at the corner, I just stepped out of the car and ran that 1 block to my appointment. To my surprise, they were not strict at all. Before I went in they even warned me that I needed the exact change to pay, and they let me go get it. Once inside, I was waiting for my turn, and notice they were letting people go in and out to get forgotten copies, get money to complete the payment, etc. When my turn came up, they gave me back some papers, since I had so many. That was a first for me, hahaha I am so used to having to over justify with extra information, (the more papers I usually take the better), that it felt awkward when they gave me papers back. I can't say yet I got my Visa, since they don't tell you if you got it or not. You have to be checking online for the status to say processed, which means you can go pick up your passport, and is not until I get the passport and see it that I'll know if I got it or not, so lets still keep those fingers crossed.

I still haven't bought my plane tickets (I know is late, but I don't know why I just keep putting it off), I keep saying to myself everyday "Oh, I really need to buy my ticket today", but I never actually do it.

Work is just there, I am just waiting the few weeks I have left for me to quit. Every day it passes is harder to fake I care, and that it matters to me.

I keep thinking I still have time, I think I still haven't fully realized that I am doing this, and that it is almost time for me to go.

I will keep you all updated.

I have a place to SLEEP!!

These past days, have been full of email messaging, trying to find housing in Paris, and let me tell you is nooot easy, but I found a place!!!! I won't have to sleep, on a bench in a park, or under a tree, hahaha.

Internet is full of scams, and after being a victim myself, I won't go into detail since I am still in a bit of denial (it wasn't that much money, but still money doesn't grow on trees). Let me just warn everyone out there, if they say they are away somewhere (specially London) without being able to show the place (ask this even if you cannot see  it just to check), and the person very persistent to get the money soon, RUUUN AWAYY before is too late, is a scam.

After ths incident I contacted Le Cordon Bleu, and they were so nice to provide me with a list of trusty landlords, that lease apts, studios, and rooms. Needless to say I emailed every single person on that list even if it said their place was occupied (no harm in making sure ;P)

I really wanted to get my own place, even if it was a small studio, but Paris is sooo expensive!!!! It was very hard, but I finally realice, that if I wanted to have a descent place to sleep in, close to the school, and pay less than 600 euros per month, I was going to have to drop that idea, and agree to just look for a room to rent with someone with a bigger apt.

Once I came to terms with that, I just responded the emails about rooms, made some more questions about the place and ask for pictures. One I got tall this information, I picked the one I liked best, and finally I got a room!!!! It is in the 15th which is the same district Le Cordon Bleu is (one of the best in Paris), is walking distance to the school (like 15 minutes), I get to have an oven in the kitchen (very important to practice before tests), and best of all I can afford it, and is really nice!!!!!

God, has been really good to me, through out this whole process. When I begin to stress and to think that this is to hard, or I start to freak out, I just realice I am not alone,and I put my trust back in Him, and He gets things done. He is always watching for us. I found this picture form one of my friends, and things really are like that (specially after I got scam). It reads " I didn't fail you... I have something better for you... from:God", isn't He amazing!!!!

I am seriously going into Panic!!!!

Through out this months I have emailed people and ask a few questions about Paris.

I decided that even though I have been fairly consisitent in trying to get my french back, the compter programs I have been using are not enough. So I decided that I will leave amonth before the LCB (Le Cordon Bleu) classes begin andI will be using this month to take french classes, and get myself familiar with french, the new city, new surroundings, and pretty much my usual freaking out. By now, all of you who know me know that in my first weeks there will be stress, crying, depression, and pretty much just get used to being away frommy family which I got used to having just a few hours away. Anyway the reason I want to do is is so that way, by the time I start classes all this is gone and all I have to do is focus myself on school.

So now I find myself almost 10 weeks before I go, with no place to stay, no idea on what kind of a job I might be able to find, and most importantly if I am going to be able to find a rommate to share housing costs over there.

I had though I wanted to get the package deal of french classes and hosuing for a month, and that way I could have amonth to llok for an apt there, and possibly a roommate at the same time. But I would have to almost double my housing budget fr that month, and is a loot ofmoney, considering I will be quiting my job and have no real income while there, so pretty much I have to make every penny count.

About two days ago I went online and found some pretty good deals on some apts in Paris, and have been trying to get the most for my money. There are a couple of real nice places, but is really hard to come to a deal since most people want money to secure the apartment, but how can I send money without being able to check the place in person. Is not like they can wait for me until I get and see if I really want it, since is like 2 months form now. What if I send the money and is a scam and I get and the apt looks nothing like the pictures!! If there even is an apt, what if someone already lives there,and they just sent me some random keys with no apt to go to!!!
I am praying to God everyday, to help me,and guide me so that whatever apt I find I can secure it in the safest way, and prevent a scam!!!

To top it off, I still have no rommate, so don't really know if I will have someone to share all my expenses with.

I am totally freaking out by know,since I have to figure out if I will be able to get an apt, and just take the french classes, or will I have to take the classesand their housing option. I need to decide this before I go to the Embassy since I have to say what is my projected arrival date, and since I do not know thisI don't have my plane ticket either.

I have no idea what am I going to do, and how am I going to be able to have everything ready. Time is running out fast, and to top it off, I still have to worry in how and when to quit my job.

I will let you guys know how things go, I am really hoping things fall into place as everything else had. I am trusting God will make it run smooth at the end.

Crossing off items of the List

I waited about 3 to 4 months after I received the accepting email, pretty much talking to everyone about my plans, but not really doing anything. I kept thinking I still have time.

Everyone I had told about this has been incredibly supportive, everyone is excited for me, and have been great about giving me information,or telling me about people they know in Paris that might be able to help me.

Getting a Visa to go to Paris, can be a bit of a long process. Good thing I started on time. Not only one has to go to the Embassy, but before that can be done, one has to go thru CampusFrance; which is like the official agency for anyone who wants to go study to France, and they have to approve and, and verify everything is legit before they give you the go to and get your appointment at the embassy.

Thank goodness by now I am all done with that process that took me a good 1 to 2 moths with out rushing myself, and getting the hang of things, and I am just n the last step,which is to get the appointment for the embassy.

Now the real nerve racking thing where am I going to live, can I afford it, is there a way I get  a roommate, a job??? So many things to worry about, and to top it off all my french from High School some how has disappeared!! I don't know where it went how am I going to do all this!!!

It's Official!!!!

Just the idea of doing this had me already too excited, I downloaded, the application, and startedto see all I would had to do. First thing first fill out the application, and send it along with a 1500 euro non-refundable application fee. The day I sent the money I was so nervous, thinking what if they say no, what if I just loose that money??? And then just thinking I am just going to pray, pray for this to be the sign if it was ok forme to go. If I wasn't accepted, it was because God had something better for me, and I was not ging to go, but if it came back that I was accepted, it was going to be God telling it was ok for me to do this, and that he would be with me all the way.

Sometime later I got one of the best emails I have ever gotten, I am accepted!!!!! It's official now, I am going to Paris!!!!!!

I was so beyond believe, I called my mom and told all my friends about y plans, about a year from that day I was going to be in Paris!!

Now to get everything ready!!!!!

And This is How the Dream Begins

I am done, done with being in a job that I don't really care for, and just going with the flow, instead of enjoying life.

Last August as I was planning and browsing the web for possible tours to go on vacation, I stumbled on the Le Cordon Bleu website offering 1 or 2 day classes for visitors. I thought wouldn't it be nice to go to one of those in one of the free days in Paris that tours usually give so people can just go around wherever they want. So I kept clicking until I found myself looking at all the offered classes and programs, and thinking how I would have loved to attend there and be a chef, thinking how since I was a girl how I had only fantasized about attending Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. Then I said to myself again there is no harm in checking the Diploma Programs, how long they took, how much they were, and me realizing I did actually already had the money to take the Diplome de Patisserie. Out of nowhere came the idea into my head that hasn't left since, "What if I just go? What if I leave what I do now, for what I always wanted to do?"

I called my mom expecting her to talk me back into my senses, and waiting for her to tell me it was all a crazy idea and to just do the one day thing. I was beyond believe when I heard my mom tell how awesome it would be,to just do it, to not worry about spending my money, or anything since this experience was going to be forever with me, and money always comes and goes.

Once I heard that I was set, I was fully decided to do it,to go to Le Cordon Bleu in Paris for the Diplome de Patisserie!!!!