Becca's Visit

Last week I got my first visitor in Paris, my sister Becca. The week before her arrival it was dull, rainy and even a little cold in the city (which made being inside and writing endless papers slightly less painful) but she brought the sun and warmth with her and the best weather Paris has seen this spring was the 10 days she was here. It was nice to have her here for so long because we didn't have to try to cram every touristy thing into a few short days, we were able to take our time and really enjoy the city. I got to do some things I had never done before - like go up the Eiffel Tower and visit Versailles, and I got to redo some of my favorite things - like walk around Montmarte and visit the Louvre. We also took a day trip out to Normandy and saw Omaha Beach and the Bayeux Tapestry. Omaha was especially interesting and meaningful for us because our grandfather who passed away this winter served in the Navy during WWII and was part of the D-Day attack at Omaha. It was very sad to see Becca go a few days ago but it was wonderful to see her and I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of several friends and family members this summer so that I can reconnect with loved ones and explore more of Paris and France!

Spring in Paris

Spring has arrived in Paris and it is absolutely magical. It is amazing to see this city come to life as new growth emerges from plants and trees. Only a month ago the city appeared dull and lifeless, nearly every building has the same sand/taupe color which is very drab in the grayness of winter but almost sparkles in the sunlight. Add to that the contrast of rod-iron balconies with blooming flower boxes and it is suddenly a brand new city. Even the ever clad in black Parisians are starting to embrace color in their wardrobes and have finally put away their incredibly heavy winter attire.

Spring in Paris means long afternoon in the parks, filled with wine and cheese, good conversations and copious amounts of sunlight (it is already light out until after 9pm here). I have already explored several of the parks in and outside of the city. A few weekends ago a group of students from the school had a boisterous and competitive (if not very athletic) game of kickball in a park just outside of the city. I have also spent a lot of time in a small but beautiful park only a few blocks from my house. I haven't quite mastered the art of doing school work in the park, but I am committed to keep trying. I am very much looking forward to long summer afternoons relaxing in the park with a good book or in the company of a good friend. Until then, I will try to keep a healthy balance of park time and frantic researching/paper writing.