The word of the day

The only way to describe my first week of living in Paris is surreal. Its surreal to think about the endless amount of history in this densely packed city and all of the great people who have been here. Its surreal to think that I actually live in this city and am part of a culture so different from everywhere else in the world. The food, scenery, way of life and over feel of the city is surreal. My 3 roommates and I have been picking an arrondissement per day and then setting off to explore. I have only been here for a week and already feel more comfortable using the subway than I thought I would after the entire stay. I truly see the appeal that cities have for a lot of people. In the span of 5 days I have been able to see some of the most beautiful places at my leisure. One day this week my roommates and I went to the Louvre, strolled along the Seine and just looked at all the buildings and sights. Another day we walked through the Latin Quarter and found the most amazing book store I have ever seen. Notre Dame was lit up right across the street and we could see couples talking a walk along the Seine. We stopped and got crepes with nutella and I finally stopped and realized....this is where I live! I am the stereotypical girl in Paris who can sit in cafes and read a book and then decide to go get a pastry at one of the most amazing patisseries all while walking past churches that are over 500 years old. I am at a point in my trip where I am absorbing everything I see, smell and hear. I plan on taking full advantage of everything while I am in Paris. Just this morning myself and my two roommates woke up at 7:30 to go down to one of the open outdoor markets. The shops open especially early on Sundays and sell the freshest fruits, vegetables, meat, cheese and pastries. We walked along the cobble stone street and bought breakfast at the patisserie and then hand picked vegetables and fruits to eat for lunch later that day. By the time we left I felt very french having fresh meat, cheese and bread all in my reusable grocery bag. These are the memories that can't be captured in pictures but I will keep them with me forever. It feels great to be able to use my french everyday and I can only see this semester getting better and better.

 Walking past a bakery almost always means buying something delicious, today it was a chocolate eclair

The perfect place to stop and have a cafe avec du crème