Paris, France

It's so strange to think "I'm in France right now." I've been here for almost a week now and yet it still hasn't completely sunk in. Every once in a while I'll catch a glimpse of the Eiffel Tower or walk by a group of people all speaking rapid French, and it'll hit me. This whole experience is so surreal, sometimes I think it can't really be happening.

I'm perfectly content when I'm by myself or with my American friends. However, when I have to interact with the French... it's a whole different story. Then, I am completely aware of where I am and how out of place I must seem.

Luckily my french skills are beginning to return to me - slowly. I know that all the information I learned over the past six years is stuffed in my brain somewhere. I just have to find it... But more on that later.

I want to talk about Paris itself. It's such an intricate city! For those of you who don't know, it is divided into 20 neighborhoods, or arrondissements. The first is in the center of the city just north of the Seine river, then they spiral out in order like a snail.
For the visual learners:

Campus is in the 7th arrondissement, with the Eiffel Tower always in view. I live right on the edge of the 16th - right down the street on the other side of the Eiffel Tower! It's pretty awesome.

What I love most about the streets of Paris are all the picturesque buildings. Pretty much every street you walk down looks like something out of a movie. Beautiful architecture, with tons of terraces and ivory balconies:

view of my street from my little balcony

view walking down the street from my place to the metro

Overall, it's been great being here in France so far. I've been exploring so much already! I'll write more soon about the different places I've been and such :)

A bientot!