Spring is Coming....

      One of the best things about having this blog is that I can look back to old entries from my first stay in Paris for guidance. Sometimes it's for factual confirmation: about when did the weather get warm here again? Other times, it's for nostalgia: can you believe that less than 5 years ago, I'd just eaten my first macaron? Better still, it's for signs of progress: thank goodness my french is better now, or, wow, there was a time when I really had a thing for french guys. Lol.

      Spring is almost upon us, and it couldn't come a moment sooner for me. This winter has been a grey one, but the lack of external light and warmth was more than compensated for by the warmth and light provided by all of the lovely people I've met in my graduate program here in Paris. Although I try to stay "present", I often use my college semester in Paris as a reference for my experiences here and now. I realized today, for example, that I wont be in Paris for Roland Garros like I was last time, which prompted me to realize that I won't be here as for as far into spring as I was last time, which is a serious dommage b/c I believe that there is no better place on earth to be than Paris in the spring.

      That being said, I came here this time on a mission: to get a master's degree in economic law. Last time, the goal was mostly to improve my french and to experience life abroad. And while this trip has surely been less fun-n-fancy-free than my first séjour here in France, I've been working hard to better myself and to create opportunities for the future. Last time, as the family and friends that suffered through my complaints remember vividly, it took me a long time to overcome my culture shock sufficiently to enjoy Paris. This time, the challenge has been managing my stress levels enough to savor the experience. It can be tempting to look at the past with rose-colored glasses, but sometimes an honest assessment will show you that you're actually making progress.

       Anyway, in the vein of my 2011 spring post, I'm going to post some pretty pretty pics of Paris in the spring. Though this time, I'd say that my photography skills have improved (see...progress!). I'll update this post as I take pics, but for up to the minute pics, follow me on Instagram (@lazeez90), where I will be posting at least a pic a day. Enjoy!