Travel Blog: Oui, oui, Paris!

Paris was supposed to be the grand finale of my trip. I had big expectations and I was also the most nervous about this romantic city. What was I, a single girl with extremeeeelllyyy limited French, going to do? To me, Paris was the ultimate romantic getaway filled with lovers and money- two things I had not.

Upon my arrival to Paris, I made my waynto Le Marais, the district of Paris where my host family was staying. The family, a young arsty couple with a 2year old girl, welcomed me to their apartment right next to a wonderful bakery, a cute cafe and the metro. (this combination has become known to me as "The Trinity", the elusive perfect combination of locales that I have found extremely desirable.). Paula, Filipe and Gala took me in with own arms and throughout the next four days shared life stories, coffee, homemade chocolate cake and their own fears with me. They were fabulous and I hope to nev forget their charming little apartment that they shared with me.

The first day I set off on an exploration of the city. I had no destination in mind, i just kept walking and walking for hours, allowing myself the opportunity to get lost in the city and to just see, without expectations, and just experience the city without having to check off my list of places to see in Paris. I walked through Le Marais and found the Seine. Walking along the Seine, you find people sitting along the river bank, tourists walking, boats wandering the river and the eventually, I saw the Eiffel Tower. Now, I'm not making this up when I say I literally gasped at the sight of seeing the Eiffel for the first time. It was surprising and beautiful and overwhelming. I couldnt help but smile and look next to me in the hopes of sharing this moment with someone. But i was surrounded by busy Parisians with whom the magic of the Eiffel is lost. It was this moment that confused me. I was so moved, almost embarrassingly so, that I wasnt sure whether to be glad I was alone, to properly enjoy the moment, without having to check my feelings or to keep moving without being aboe to stare for as long as id like, or if having somone there would have made it better. This was the fight that I had with myself and I still havent figured out the answer to it. Perhaps the is the ultimate traveling partner who both there and not there, the perfect balance of being able to share experiences with but also you feel absolutely able to be who you are and feel what you feel and maybe most importantly, to be free to do what you want.

Throughout my time in Paris, that moment seeing the Eiffel was the only time, aside from meals, that I desired somene to be there with me. By this point, I loved being alone. I didnt have to wait for anyone, I could mosey, or speed walk, I could eat when I wanted where I wanted. I was entirely free to do as I pleased. Such things included, waiting 2.5 hours in line to see the Louvre, walking to the Pompidou but refusing to wait in line again to see more art, eating 6 crepes with various comninations of nutella and fruit, 4 pain au chocolats, 3 fresh baguettes, countless cafes, stoppng for only 10 minutes to see the Arc de Triomphe, walking up all the stairs to the Eiffel to save 10€ and sitting for hours in Parisian cafes writing in my journal and drinking absurd amounts of coffee, exploring the ile de cite and admiring the Notre Dame,

Did i love Paris? I dont think ai can say that. I enjoyed the city, ive always wanted to go and im so glad I went. But with the budget I had and the little French I knew, it made it really difficult to experience what I imagine to be the proper Paris. Food is expensive, and all I really wanted was an amazing Parisian meal and I just couldnt afford it. Going in to musuems and other tourist attractions cost money, money that I couldnt spend. I wouod definitely go back to Paris, later on in my life when I dont have the budget I do now, when I can spend money on 4 course French meals and buy clothes and souvenirs.