Falling in Love

I came into this semester expecting to do many wonderful things, have many awesome experiences, meet new friends, and leave with memories to last a lifetime.  I even expected to love my homestay, to learn a lot and be challenged by classes, and to eat too many crêpes to count.  I expected to visit many museums and monuments in a city where there seems to be something celebrated or significant on every corner. What I did not expect, however, was to fall in love with the city itself, and that is what has happened this week. 

I imagined Paris as a busy city that, like most big cities, had great things to offer, but was not so great itself. I was wrong. I expected that I would love this semester for the experience, not the location. Wrong again. I watched Paris, Je t'aime videos and thought they were cheesy and exaggerated. Now it is entirely possible that my next skype conversation would fit right into the film. It turns out I love Paris, not just for the thousands of cultural, academic, and amusing things it has to offer, but also because of the atmosphere of the city itself.  The fact that I absolutely LOVE Paris may not be a surprise to some of you (Mom is the first of many names that comes to mind), but it did surprise me. I never expected that I would feel this at home in or invigorated by a city, but here I am. 

If my first realization this week is that I am completely and totally falling for this city, the second realization is that I only have 13 weeks left here.  People say that it would take more than one lifetime to discover Paris -- how am I supposed  to fit it all in one semester!?!? Needless to say, I have been very busy this week.   My classes do not start until tomorrow (and even then half don't start until next week), so I have been trying to take advantage of all of this free time to explore the city.  I have gotten lost, both accidentally and on purpose, seen monuments, discovered beautifully tranquil parks, and the more I do, the more I realize that this is barely the tip of the iceberg.  

My activities this week included: 

Exploring the area around Sweet Briar's offices and classrooms. Just around the corner is "Indiana" restaurant.  Too funny!

A visit to Versailles, home to Louis XIV (The Sun King).  The palace was gorgeous, as were the gardens and the Grand and Petit Trianons, which were the famous residences of Marie Antoinette. The weather was perfect and we spent all day here! (Not hard to do - you could probably spend a week in the gardens alone).  

Fun Fact #3 - If you have a student card marked "Histoire de l'art" (art history), you have free admission to most museums in Paris. This meant that instead of paying to visit the Château, the Trianons, and the famous gardens, we only had to pay for the gardens!  I have also used my student card several other places since then! It certainly makes seeing Paris much more affordable! 

Visiting the Panthéon, where I was able to see the tombs of Voltaire, Russeau, and Marie Curie, among others. 

Spending time with friends from the program and reuniting with old friends (sorry no picture) like my friend Fanny, who I met in Belgium last year.  

Getting to see the Catacombes de Paris, where it is estimated that over 6 million people are 'buried.' The bones are stacked in rows and line the walls of what was once a quarry. This was SO cool to see, but stay away if you aren't a fan of bones! My friend and I think that we might go back on Halloween if we need to get in the spirit (aren't I punny). This was another place that was free to us because we are students!

Sweet Briar organized a trip in a Bateau Mouche along the Seine.  Since the city is pretty much organized around the river, we could see many of the major monuments from the boat.  Plus, it was a gorgeous day to enjoy the fresh air! 

After said tour, some friends and I wandered along the Seine to the Eiffel Tower.  We also rode the carousel at the base of the tower (Why, yes! We are 20 years old, why? Did you think we had outgrown children's activities?).  Such a fun afternoon!

Visiting (the outside of) the famous Notre Dame Cathedral.  Very impressive architecture and construction, especially considering the available technologies when it was built.  

Stuck in the rain after Notre Dame, we tried to take shelter here, in Tour St. Jacques, but it turns out there is a fence around it.  We decided to take the first bus we saw instead, and ended up wandering around the 6th arrondissement for awhile before getting lunch and then going to a meeting at school. 

After starting off by seeing part of TechnoParade, my friend and I wandered through the 3rd arrondissement, getting THE BEST sandwiches at this little café, finding a park to eat them in, stumbling across the Marché des Enfants Rouges, the oldest market in Paris (above), finding a Lutheran Church, and then ending up at BHV, a HUGE department store that has everything under the sun, including free bathrooms and a great view of the Mayor's offices if you go all the way up to the 6th floor.  

Getting to see the Eiffel Tower all lit up... the city is SO gorgeous at night! 

In case the last picture didn't prove that to you... this city is breathtaking at night! This is a picture taken from the balcony of the apartment in the 5th arrondissement where my new friend Marcie gets to live for the semester! She was kind enough to invite us over after we all went out for fondue and share her (host mother's) view with us! Isn't it incredible!?! This picture does not even come close to doing it justice, but hopefully you can see a little of why I am falling in love with Paris! 

Wandering aimlessly and getting lost has occupied much of my time this week, especially this weekend. I have learned that it is actually a very good way to familiarize myself with the area, and I am never really 'lost,' as I only attempt this when I don't have a specific destination.  Today's mission was to explore the Bois de Boulogne, a HUGE park not far from my house. It is so peaceful there that I might not have believed I was in Paris. (Notice that the picture I shared shows the "Lac Inferior" or little lake, with the Eiffel Tower just visible on the skyline... I just wanted to be sure people knew it was still really Paris!)

So overall this has been a phenomenal week! I am so excited to see what the rest of the semester brings! 

Fun Fact #4: Every night at 10, 11, and Midnight the Eiffel Tower is lit up for five minutes with extra lights.  It looks like it is sparkling and it is absolutely BEAUTIFUL!  

Sorry this post has been so long! If you can't tell, I am slightly infatuated with Paris at the moment, and am therefore more apt than I already would have been to ramble about it for hours.  

A special birthday shout out to my MOM! You're the best and I love you! I wish I could give you a hug across the ocean... know that I am thinking it at least! 

~SKS