I am a little more than half way through my program in Paris and I have absolutely fallen in love with this city. There is so much to see and do here that there is no one way to describe it. Some areas are more quiet and residential, where you can find locals at their favorite cozy café, which is what the area I live in is like. Other areas are elegant, full of sculptures and art. And other areas are loud and vibrant, with people outside chatting happily and music spilling out of bars. After being here for this amount of time, I really do feel that Paris has something to offer for everyone, it just depends where you look.
A typical day for me here in Paris begins waking up early in the morning and heading downstairs for some breakfast at the hotel. After a good pain au chocolat and a cappuccino, I head to the basement for our two classes. The classes end around lunchtime, to which we either decide to go out to eat at a restaurant or stay in and eat at the hotel again, depending on the rest of the day and the weather. One thing I have noticed about the weather is that the weather app will not work in Paris. That is to say that it could be pouring outside and the weather app will call for clear skies the whole day, and sometimes the opposite occurs. I will also add that Paris in the rain is not an overly romanticized scene, as it truly is beautiful in the rain.
After lunch, I relax for an hour or so and embark on whatever adventure I want to that day. Some days, we have pre-planned excursions by the program itself. My favorite one so far has been the opera house Palais Garnier. The architecture was so wonderfully crafted and maintained throughout these years.
Other days, we are free to plan our days and do whatever we like in Paris. I usually go to museums or visit some of Paris’s vast gardens during this time. I have also been loving walking along the Seine. After returning home for the day, I do homework for class.
A big part of French culture is the sport that almost every Parisian partakes in on a daily basis: people watching. Enjoying a fresh croissant at a café or a park and just observing the people passing by, wondering where they are coming from and where they are heading to, is one of the most relaxing activities to do here. I think this also accurately portrays the pace of life in Paris: at ease and steady. I am having a great time in Paris and I plan on using the last few days I have here to the fullest. À bientôt!