The tango with chance

"We live in a world that is full of beauty, charm, and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open." Jawaharial Nehru

Sometimes it takes a change of place to draw out curiosity and sense of adventure. Paris is, without a doubt, succeeding in doing this to me. I want to do everything, because everything is alluring. But, I'm also aware now more than ever that the time is flying. Spring is without a doubt here (finally!) which makes it all the more real that we've been here through a season already. And the warm weather makes the city come alive.

On Monday we took advantage of the weather and met up near Les Jardins des Plantes after class. Gabi, Emily, Carolin, and I sipped on mint tea and ate turkish pastries on the terrace of the Cafe Mosque. Unfortunately with warm weather and outdoor snacks come even more pigeons. Maybe the next three months here will rid me of my fear of birds (an irrational fear according to Mme Dugan), but I'm not too confident in that. After the Mosque we wandered through the gardens for a bit and explored the shrub labyrinth while chatting away. There's such a comfortable dynamic between the four of us; it feels like we've known each other for years.

By mid-week, my mind was on French overload. 7 hours of class on Wednesdays always keeps my head spinning in different languages, but in addition to class, the four of us also went to a play in French. We had acquired cheap tickets through Crous and had jumped at the opportunity to see a play at La Comedie Francaise without a second glance at the play that was being put on. We grew apprehensive when we couldn't find much of a synopsis of it online at all and became a bit nervous that the entire production would fly straight over our heads. Much to our surprise, it was hilarious, and fairly easy to follow (or as easy as any play in another language is to a foreigner). But I think we left the theater in a sort of daze...9 straight hours of another language is exhausting.




Thursday was one of those funk days that happens every once in awhile no matter what setting you find yourself in. There's a certain amount of frustration that is absolutely inevitable when acclimating to a different culture. The culture will not change for you, you have to bend in every which way to accommodate it. It was a frustration that was particularly strong for all four of us on Thursday. In an attempt to combat this, Gabi, Emily, Carolin, and I all met at the Tuilerie Gardens after class, each of us armed with a different component to a Parisian picnic. Ingredients included: wine, camembert cheese, baguettes, gardettos, thin mints, gouda cheese, and plenty of topics of conversation. It was the perfect remedy for our grievances.

Next on the to-do list was Pere Lachaise cemetery which we were able to cross off as of Friday afternoon. There is something oddly peaceful about that place, not particularly eerie, just very calm. But we didn't get to see any of the "famous" graves that were there, so we're definitely going to have to make a return visit. Friday night after dinner Gabi and I met up with some friends at our favorite bar (mostly for the cheap cocktails) near Grands Boulevards. From there we made our way to Oberkampf for some late night dancing. It was a great way to end a very tiring week.

Tomorrow Gabi and I are making a day trip to Champagne and meeting up with her Dad. I'm so glad that I finally feel like I'm really using the time I have here to the fullest. Initially I was overwhelmed with the possibilities and comforted by the fact that I would be here for such an extended period of time. Now I'm starting to plan what I want to do and really use every day. It's made me that much more aware of all there is to do, and that much more excited for everything the next few months have in store.