Heyoooo mes amis! Zee is back, and back in action...in Paris! Fast forward to 2015: I am about to begin my third year of law school, and I will be spending it abroad in Paris, France as part of a program offered by my law school. This time, I'll be here for a full 9 months (mon dieu!) and I'll be in a Masters program at the same school I attended the last time around.
I arrived in Paris on the 11th of May after a brief layover in Iceland (more on that later) and I have been alternately sleeping/attempting to get my life in order/tourist-traipsing since. Some contextual updates:
-I am 25 now instead of 20, so more life experience under my belt (?)
-I've visited 6 additional countries since arriving in France back in 2011, which at that time was my first foray abroad
-I'm living sans-roommates within walking distance of school (no more madame-madness)
-I have spent the last 3 summers living and working in NYC for law firm internships
In terms of initial impressions, these are the thoughts which have crystalized so far:
- "Huh, knowing more french definitely makes life a lot easier. Imagine that (duh). "
- "'Scary' New Yorkers make 'scary' Parisians look like annoying perfume ladies in high-end department stores."
- "I forgot how old everything is here. This can be both a good and a bad thing."
- "Thank you, technology. As long as I can schmooze/con/flirt my way into a wifi code, imma be golden."
- "Delicious chocolates, where have you been all my life? Gotta step outside of the pastries more often."
- "Jet lag is real. Real annoying."
I flew from NYC to Paris via Reykjavik, which was an interesting experience in and of itself. The flight itself was fine, even though the plane was a bit older, and the two adorable english tots next to me got moved to the back of the plane to be closer to their parents so MAMMA GOT THE WHOLE ROW TO HERSELF. You heard right. I was laid out.
The layover itself was perfect because it was just long enough to not have to run through the airport, but short enough as to not be annoying. I went to the bathroom-stay with me here- and I was pleasantly surprised to see that there were separate rooms rather than stalls with a shared trough of sinks. Very much an Ikea-vibe to the whole setup, and the sink was a dual sink/dryer with these jet-powered hand dryer handles that stuck out from the water spout.
Also, Icelanders seem to love puffins. A lot.
Landing in Reykjavik was an interesting experience in that the landscape looked like nothing I had ever seen before. It looked as though we were landing on a sheet of lava that had cooled maybe a year or two max. beforehand. Not a tree in sight. Scrubby little shrubs and moss were the only vegetation I was able to pick out. That said, the landscape was very beautiful. There were gorgeous mountains in the distance, and occasionally the sun would burst through the clouds in really beautiful sunbeams that would illuminate patches of the countryside.
Iceland Air was a cool experience overall (hehe puns) and I might try and take advantage on the way back of a promotion the airline was touting in which you can apparently stay in Iceland for a few nights for free during your layover.
During the layover in Reykjavik, I met a charming girl from Seattle that is doing an undergrad exchange program at the same french uni I will be attending. We shared a taxi into Paris, and it was so nice to relive old memories as I tried to give her some helpful hints from my undergrad experience.
My apartment is in a very "chic" part of Paris, as I have been told by a few Parisians I've met so far, and I innocently protest that I chose it for proximity to school. Though I have to admit, if you're going to do the Paris experience, you might as well go for it, and I'm glad I did. After a few unsatisfying experiences scrimping on housing, I decided to reallocate my budget to allow for nicer digs. I went through an agency, and I got a cute studio with gorgeous big windows.
I've been getting the lay of the land ever since which, thankfully, is very much familiar from last time. I discovered a little popup resto in a courtyard near my apartment inside a building that during the school year is a catholic school for orphans. You can get various items such as wine and cheese plates, and there are occasionally live performances (I am aware of how "hipster" this sounds, and I don't care :p). I went there today with a Laduree goodie that I purchased.
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| The entrance |
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| Some nice citronnade for a summer's evening |
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| A religieuse rose-framboise from Laduree. |
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| The inside: delicious raspberries and pastry cream |
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| Bob Dylan-esque american performer |
Still a lot of admin stuff to do, but all in all a good start to the experience. So grateful that apps like WhatsApp exist this time around so I can take calls anywhere I have a wifi connection, so I don't feel like I'm so far from home. Apologies for the long post! Until next time!
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