As I traveled down the seine that Sunday, on the boat I imagine that was Ernest Hemingway looking down to see if I enjoyed Paris. He was on the bridge along Notre Dame Cathedral.
Photo by Willie Brown

Never confuse movement with action.

ERNEST HEMINGWAY, attributed, Papa Hemingway

Bonjour. Je m’applle Willie
International Media Seminar in Paris

As I get ready to go to Paris, I realize that I am more excited than I thought I would be. When I think about great writers, and artists that have studied in France, and the history in the museums, structures, cemeteries and gardens it seems almost impossible that we could visit everything that we want to visit in one week. I am going to try to do as much as I can without wearing out, my plans is to photograph areas that aren’t photographed by every tourist thatgoes to France.
At the grocery store this evening I saw a new life magazine and it had Audrey Hepburn On the cover. And inside was one of my favorite movies, Paris when it Sizzles, with William Holden. Both are favorite movie stars. Holden was a writer and Hepburn was a temporary secretary in the movie. Scenes in the movie were filmed on the streets of Paris, so I am going to dig up this movie and while I watch, see if there are places that I will be going to when I go to Paris. ( Jan 30 2013)

“A walk about Paris will provide lessons in history, beauty, and in the point of Life.”― Thomas Jefferson

One of the back streets of Paris, as we traveled to one of our seminars.
Photography by Willie Brown

This week while preparing for my trip to Paris, I read another chapter in the assigned book, at first I questioned why anybody would want to travel to Paris and then go to a cemetery, Pere-Lachqnise. After reading more I imagined going there on a damp rainy day and exploring the dark Gothic monuments and gravestones, would make great photography for my portfolio. Not only that. I found that Jim Morrison, writer and poet from the popular band the doors, is buried there. I don’t know if will have time to go there, But that’s on my list of things that I want to do.
I think I’m going to have to prepare for Paris in more ways than one; I need to start walking a little more every day to get in better shape. I’ve been thinking about my camera equipment, what I’m going to wear, learning French. Where I am going to go, but I’m not at getting prepared for all the walking we will be doing, so this week I’m going to try to walk more and exercise more to prepare myself for the trip. Maybe I can walk with my smart phone while I listen to French lessons.

at the airport heading to Hotel Malar
Candis,Sam, Liz ,Ronda,Olive, Nancy and Talor

Monday, February 18, 2013 ,This weekend was a busy weekend preparing for the trip to Paris, I received my new camera bag, and it is just the size to carry my laptop and camera equipment. I have been trying to organize things that will be needed on the trip, my First stop Friday after school was the video store and picked up two rentals that were supposed to be filmed in Paris, The first film was, Sabrina with Audrey Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart, it only showed a little bit of Paris.

“Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without”. Confucius
I started my trip to Paris the Friday on the end of spring break, (Friday March 22) I had planned to meet members of my group to ride together so we could get on the plane in northwest Arkansas together from there we flew to Dallas Fort Worth airport in Dallas we took pictures of the group and I could tell that I wasn’t the only one excited about the trip to Paris.

it looked like the Eiffel Tower was just a block away from my hotel
photo by Willie Brown

The title of my blog is old man in Paris so from the time I get on the plane to fly to Paris this will be reflections of my trip.

We Flew on American Airlines. And in my Group was 2 Advisers: Olive Sullivan, Ronda Clark , Students: Eldon (Willie) Brown, Taylor Camden, Candis Clark, Elizabeth Spencer and Samantha Zoltanski

On the plane I just thought the group probaly would be setting together but most of us were separated, that worked better because a lot of the people on the plane were French and traveling back to traveling back Home, I struck up a conversation with my window seat buddy he told me his name was John and then he was French although he was originally French-Canadian, he now lives in France . John is a software engineer and he had just been to New Orleans to work, I was listening to my French language CD and he told me he could help me learn a few things about the French culture, John also gave me some tips on the wonderful Paris coffee, and about the places to go to stay away from the heavy tourist traffic. On the trip over I found, that I don’t believe the books that say the French are snobby to American tourist, because my first experience was someone that was excited, about me going to Paris.

Our first day in Paris traveling down the streets
Photography by Willie Brown

                It was Saturday, March 23, before we landed in Paris and the first time our feet touched the cobblestone streets of Paris .we are at Hotel Malar it was our hotel, and also the starting point, for other groups. We just settled in for a while, and got used to our rooms. Our group met and went to a local coffee shop and the first thing we noticed was the Eiffel Tower a great view from our hotel, we had a few problems with the language that most of the waiters understood and enough English that you can get by.
I think there was about six hour’s difference in our time zone so it was a rough on my sleeping habits

we traveled a lot at night, this is the city of lights.
Photography by Willie Brown

Sunday, March 24 ,I think my whole group including other members was planning on going to the Seine River Cruise which I was looking forward to I’d seen so many pictures of the bridges and that is a unique viewing of the Parisian setting. Our group gathered at the hotel Malar. And walked, to the boat, a Wonderful cultural experience going under famous bridges and aged buildings and also passed modern Paris.

As we traveled down the river, we passed many bridges that any time you see movies filmed in Paris you will see these bridges Photography by Willie Brown

Sunday evening, we met and walked to the home of Joanna Gordon for a reception with other international media seminar students that were in town. my Missouri southern group seemed to hit it off with, Brandon, Britney, Stephanie and Stone from Westfield State University. I don’t think any of them were media majors but they were interested in the seminar.

International Media Seminar in Paris
At
The American University of Paris
Monday, March 25, our first lecture was by Ann Swardson editor at large at Bloomberg news, her lecture was about business news in Europe and her role in covering the economic scene.
Next up was Barry Lando, investigative reporter, and former European producer of the television show 60 min. he had a very interesting 45 min. of lecture. Barry Wrote book on history of Western Intervention in Iraq, Web of Deceit, and after running a Google search I found out he is now writing a novel, and painting.
They last lecture at AUP of the day was Waddick Doyle, director global communications and film AUP his lecture was “media culture in France”. This is a complete paragraph for another class Essay but French television is plastered with American culture in their TV shows. I watched Law and order in French while I was there I wish I could get copies in French so learn more French I guess next time I go to Paris I can talk to Parisians  .

At two o’clock March 25 we gathered to go to the international Herald Tribune. Most of the time we met at the hotel Malar where we were staying and ou

I believe that is the group from Northwest as we listen to the lecture at international Herald Tribune
photography by Willie Brown

r group walks were interesting and full of Parisian culture, the main thing I remember are the walks along the river sidewalks at the Seine.
Anne Bagamery, Senior business Editor, spoke to us about global business and economy, while we were there. There was just a small conference room and there were digital blowups rolled up along the wall I can imagine that they probably had many editors meetings in the room we were in. It is very intimidating because I brought an international Herald Tribune newspaper back with me
After the long walks back to our hotels we did have time in the afternoons to do some sightseeing and then most every night then time at different restaurants even though I don’t know French we really didn’t have any problems communicating with the waiters.

This is one of the buildings we saw, as we walked to Bernas beautiful home
In Paris photo by Willie Brown March 2013

Tuesday, March 26: Visit to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (the OECD.).
This building was in the area of La defense, at first I couldn’t understand why they were searching my backpack, it seemed like one of those James Bond movies we went into the area that has something to do with global economy and helping major countries to improve their treasury, we formed teams just like a big company would to Solve problems, and the Problems were read to us by a group leader,. Taylor and Brandon took charge, it was very informative on the way that big business, handles economic problems. We were invited to eat in their corporate restaurant which was much better than I’ve ever had here in Joplin, we had roast duck with white wine and I don’t think it cost us much more than $10 European

This is a picture of me overlooking the arch, and the busy streets of Paris.
Photo by Samantha

We made our way to lee & Berna Humblers, beautiful Home,in a small group because we thought we could start finding our way around Paris, I was with Candis, Samantha, and Taylor. We did find the home with just a few little detours I believe we may have been one of the first groups there the home was a World War II Historic apartment building with a two-person elevator, much of Paris there were those quaint buildings.

Jim Bitterman, CNN correspondent for Paris and Rome
Photo by Willie Brown

Jim Bitterman, Senior European Correspondent based in Paris was our speaker it is really interesting to hear from such experience news people. After giving our lecture he went to Rome to file a report on Good Friday and Easter Sunday with Pope Francis.

Here’s my girls, plus three from West field University Britney, Candis, Taylor, Samantha, Stone and Brandon
photo by Willie Brown

We listened to one more speakers, then an online press conference there at Bernas then she treated the whole seminar group to dinner at her house, between speakers and we went out on the garden patio of her home, another beautiful site from the roof top.

Always people around having lots of fun in Paris these people are enjoying the river as we go by on the river cruise down the Seine
photo by Willie Brown

Our evenings were always free to do the Paris tourist thing, although it was cold, it was beautiful any time we got out of the hotel.
Wednesday we had two speakers in the morning and again at AUP. “A Career in Media Management.” Kay Rolland, formerly in management posts with The Wall Street Journal Europe and the International Herald Tribune. Eileen Bastianelli, founder of Milestone Media, former executive at BBDO Advertising Agency, Paris, now an adviser and producer linking the worlds of advertising and digital content.

This is the carousel under Eiffel tour
by Willie Brown

When they let us out at noon, Elizabeth and I walked up to the tour Eiffel we walked around there and took pictures I needed the cash $100 bill for Euros, I think I received €55. so if you ever go to Europe remember to use your debit card or credit card as much as possible. then that afternoon I went with the girls and olive to what they called a local flea market but most of it was leather purses, hats, and things you expect to see, at our flea markets. I was thinking more of antiques and unusual items they really didn’t have any of that.
Thursday, March 28
The first speakers were Ann. and Don Morrison they talked about her husband wife careers formerly coeditors of time magazine Europe

Francis Sergeant. He is a senior editor at the Liberation, leading French daily

Jean-Marc Louz: Senior international correspondent for France 2 TV I started after he spoke going to their website because they had had a protest while we were in France and I wondered what it was about.Madeleine Czigler, lecture was on covering the fashion scene n Paris. She’s also a professor at AUP.

Editors,Liberation, leading French daily notice the Elvis

That afternoon we traveled to the newspaper where we heard from Francis Sergeant. He is a senior editor at the

. We Hung around their coffee room while waiting to go downstairs, there was a beautiful rooftop view of Paris. Although it was foggy, you could still see the Eiffel Tower. the inside workings of the newspaper would’ve made anyone that is planning on going into journalism very excited. We wound down a beautiful staircase that went on forever. I think Elizabeth took a picture of that on her blog of the stairs. the building was another one of those buildings that was build around World War II with thick concrete walls everywhere.

After leaving there we walked, to the Parisian Home of John Morris A retired Photojournalist living in Paris: he founded the Magnum agency, senior photo editor for life magazine, New York Times, the Washington post i and other publications.

me and john Morris
photographer unknown

A Quote From John Morris

“The rise of digital photography has the potential to create great problems, but it also makes things a hell of a lot easier in some ways,” he says. “However, not every photographer is a good editor of their own work. I always insisted on seeing contact sheets of the whole film” – sheets which, in the digital age, no longer exist”.

Going to John’s home is probably the most inspiring thing that I did in Paris here I was sitting in the home of a photojournalist that had been through every war since World War II his home was filled with memorabilia from his journeys and I had the opportunity to be wrapped beside me and when he talked he almost seemed like he was from the Midwest because he had a smooth southern accent. He scolded the audience because they didn’t seem to know the names of Robert Capa and Henry Carter-Bresson, a French photographer considered to be the father of modern photojournalism. I’m working on a pod cast that will share some of John s thoughts on politics and photojournalism. I hope to have a Link to it soon
Friday, March 29 brought us to the last day of the trips to the American university in Paris, after three lectures we were off to spend some time doing what tourists would do, we visited the museum Du Loove.
I was up close and personal with the Mona Lisa, The wedding At Cana, and many more famous art pieces. We were at Sacre Coeur on good Friday where I heard Nuns singing hymns in French ( I thought I was in Heaven). The academic rigor of going to the seminars I was worn out by the end of the week I think I need to exercise more and walk more to places like they do in Paris, I learned a lot ,I realize some things in their culture that they do better than we do here I think their jobs they seem more laid-back than we are here Americans are always in a hurry I discovered that if I get a chance to go back to Paris it won’t be for just a week because you can’t enjoy, everything you love about Paris in one week Eldon Willis Brown)