Il a neigé à Paris! And it wasn’t piddily little snow either, it’s legit. We probably got about a half inch of thick, wet snow. Of course, it was beautiful when it was coming down and when it was fresh but it got pretty gross very quickly. The sidewalks were covered in slush and my shoes and socks were soaked by the time I got home but it was snow so it was completely worth it. Despite the weather, Parisians are still riding their vélos (bikes) and their motos (motorcycles). Ils sont foux!
Today is le 18 décembre, I’m going home in two days. I know I should be feeling sadder about leaving than I currently am but I’m really excited to be going home. Maybe it hasn’t hit me yet, that I’m actually leaving Paris. Still, I can’t say that I’m not ready to go home. I even had a going home dream last night. I dreamed that I was studying abroad but I was only across the street at my neighbor’s house. I could see my house, but I couldn’t go home. If that’s not a plea to send me home I don’t know what is.
Although all I’ve been thinking about home this last week, I’m trying to soak up as much of Paris as I can. I went for one last wandering stroll around the city today, even though it is only about 32 degrees and snowy outside. Today I found “81 Roo de Loo”, Julia and Paul Child’s apartment at 81 Rue de L’Université. I will definitely miss the luxury of being able to just wander through the streets of Paris, not sure where I’m going but not being too worried about it either. This was by far my favorite pastime in Paris, coupled with a nice afternoon in a café with my book. Sure, not everything was perfect about this experience. Academically, my classes were fairly disappointing and I never got to know my host family very well. Still, I would do it all over again in a heartbeat. For me, this whole adventure really started seven months ago. In my mind, DC and Paris were always linked. After so many months of anticipation and imaging of what these experiences would be like, it is strange to know that they have come to an end. Right now it’s hard for me to judge the impact that all this has had on me. I know that these experiences have had a huge impact on my life but I’m still not quite sure how they will affect me when I get home. I know that this past year will probably be one of the most memorable of my life but I realize now that I’m just getting started. These past months have been great but they are really just a springboard for the rest of my life.
To all of you out there in blogger world, thank you for keeping tabs on me and allowing me to self-indulge for an hour or two every week. I hope you enjoyed reading the blog as much as I had writing it. Merci, mes amis.
I will very soon no longer be living in an old house in Paris so it is only fitting that I leave you all with one last phrase from Mr. Ludwig Bemelmans:
And she tuned out the light-
And closed the door-
And that’s all there is-
there isn’t any more.
Aw, this post of yours is quite touching. In life, all of our journeys have an end, and this end also marks the beginning of the next, new chapter. I'm definitely sure that your stay in Paris will always be memorable. Who knows, maybe you'll be able to have a chance to come back there. There is a couple of people who plan to go there and to other European cities as soon as they retire.
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