The Worst Is Now Over

So I have reached the end of my first week at work and I spent the better part of today walking around Paris, (re)taking in the sights. As I write this, I am on the upper floor of one of Paris' many McDonald's locations, pilfering the free WiFi. I absolutely love this city and all it has to offer, but I can't help but compare the experience I'm having now to the first time I visited Paris, in summer 2007.

Last summer was the first time I had ever been out of the country, as I enrolled in a study abroad program that my university offered. While spending six weeks there in a rather posh hotel, we took two courses and had The City of Lights to our full disposal. Everyone seemed to get along well and after a few days of introductions, people buddied up and we all went about enjoying the city in our own way.

Although I'm happy to be back, I have to admit that there is a great deal of difference between being surrounded by a group of fellow Americans with whom you eat meals and take classes, and being on one's own to complete a work study program and having to find a place to live.

Boy oh boy, was finding a place difficult. After spending the first three days in a hotel that I had booked in advance, I lived for two nights in a house that just wasn't comfortable. After informing the ex-landlady that I had decided to move elsewhere, I moved to a nice house just on the south side, about 10 minutes away from the Eiffel Tower by car. So although I'm settled, I'm sure I'll be having nightmares about lugging my crap through the métro for three days.

There's a lot more to say, and I'll be sure to write it all down, but my laptop power is decreasing by the minute and there are no electrical outlets in sight. But I do have pictures!! I'll try to make this a habit.


Team Party



My room. It has an Indian theme - red and orange walls, night tables in the form of elephants, and Hindu figures on the pillows and bedspread. J'adore.