Homeward Bound

Paris, France

I have a little under 12 hours left in Paris so stuff is getting real.

As promised, I spent today wrapping things up. I did some adult stuff, like airline printing and banking, and then I meandered around the city getting sentimental. It was raining, so that helped to set the mood as well. After finishing all my errands, I met up with some friends at Angelina in the Luxembourg Gardens, which brings my semester to a full circle – if you’ll remember my first trip to Angelina in the early weeks of the semester.

Now, buckle up, it’s about to get very heavy. I’m in the middle of packing, which means I’ve just found a hoard of memories hiding in my drawers, and I’m trying to find a way to fit everything in my suitcase to bring back home.

Overall, this has been an amazing semester. There are still things I’ll need to do when I make my inevitable return to the city – inevitable because I’ve fallen in love. I came to the city with a lot of expectations about what the semester was going to bring, some of which were met and many of which were exceeded. It wasn’t always perfect, but always important.

I’ve eaten more bread and cheese and chocolate than probably ever before in a 4 month period. I’ve had wine ranging from top shelf vintage to barely palatable.

I saw more art than I thought possible. I consumed a lot of ‘culture’ and a lot of culture. I learned what a model public garden looks like (it involves impossibly well maintained trees, miniature sailboats, and well dressed toddlers), and how a model manifestation is run. I’ve also seen what a poorly run manifestation looks like, and I’ve come to understand the differences in poverty and unemployment and disgruntled citizens between Paris and New York.

I’ve figured out how to address catcalls with a French pout and a raised eyebrow. Even more importantly, I’ve learned to laugh at myself with abandon. It’s ok to look like a tourist sometimes, because that student visa? It really means you’re going to be confused for a couple of months, and then you’re just going to accept that sometimes you stick out. It makes it that much more special when people ask you for directions to the nearest post office.

I’ve crossed bridges of all shapes and sizes, physical and metaphorical.

I’ve passed many a midnight in Paris, and even a couple dawns.

It was great, and fun, and messy, and sometimes very hard. But most of all, Paris was beautiful and it gifted me some extraordinary opportunities and experiences. It was a weird and wonderful semester and merci bien to everyone who was a part of it. We’ll always have Paris.