by Annalie Jiang
Oh la la..November has completely snuck up on me. I have just realized that the semester is more than halfway over, and that it gets dark by 6pm now. How did the time fly by like this!?
Often, the first impression I get from cities like Paris when I arrive that they are large and intimidating. Everything is unfamiliar, and it takes a while to orient myself. Gradually, the city seems to shrink as I become more comfortable and end up frequenting the same places: the apartment, Sciences Po, the closest ATM. Although I know that my stay is only four months, I almost think of myself more as a local, unrushed to visit the touristy places. Heck, I haven’t been to the Louvre yet! There are still entire arrondissements of Paris I have yet to set foot in.
In my traveling frenzy during the break, I was so focused on visiting the rest of Europe that I forgot about Paris. And the rest of France, of course. I also need to start taking advantage of this 17°C (60°F) weather before I return to Evanston. So the list-making begins. Here’s to carpe diem!