le 27 mai
Today is the saddest day ever, because tomorrow, very early, I leave Paris. I am currently avoiding printing out my boarding pass because I am hoping that somehow that will make leaving less real. To distract myself, I will now recap things I have done since my last entry. I'm sorry that these last few entries are an abomination to the concept of structure and flow, but they are nonetheless a documentation of my time here, which I will definitely want to remember and am currently grasping at as it runs through my fingers (most pathetic metaphor ever, ready go).
There have been lots of lasts. Last pilgrimage to the Japanese restaurant in the 15th (there were eight of us!). Last visit to Versailles (finally got to see the gardens). Last tarte au citron at the local bakery (this morning). Last meal at the student cafeteria (thank god). Last visit to API to give Anne-Marie our amazing card, flowers and the beautiful pink scarf we bought her. It was heartbreaking! She was tearing up and then she hugged all of us. All the new API summer program kids are there and it is sad because they will never replace us. We told Anne-Marie that she should not teach them to cook as well as she tought us, haha. We have also decided that the code on the API door should not be changed for purposes of our being able to visit if when we come back to Paris. I am seriously already thinking about when I will have graduated and will want to return with some of the same people I just spent five months with. Five life-changing months. Clichéd? Yes. True? Absolutely. When I remember Paris, I'll remember it how I knew it with them. It became our city, a little bit.
Last night we went out to a bar on Rue Mouffetard and then to Club Mix for the second time -- last time was last Thursday -- because it's a student club and Thursdays are free! I had actually met a French boy named Merzouk (French/caucasian, but originally from Algeria) whom I may or may not have danced with until 5:30am last week and had planned to meet again this week. Erm. About that. I promised myself I wouldn't get too attached (this was hard because I feel that French boys are very forward in comparison to American ones), but it was nice while it lasted. I can kind of say I had a French lover, which is poetic or something. We are going to stay in contact via MSN, and this part is cute but less poetic.
Whaaaaaaaaat eeeeeeeeeelse. Yesterday Elena, Hilary and I went to Père Lachaise and Montmartre and just walked around enjoying life and Paris, which is seriously what I think I would do if I were to stay here any longer. I've seen all the monuments multiple times, but the city itself -- just walking around and being with the people I've met here -- that's what I want to keep and remember and what I'll miss the most.
Tonight we'll probably wind up by the Seine, or by the Eiffel Tower, with some bread and cheese and wine and good company. We want to see it sparkle one more time.
There have been lots of lasts. Last pilgrimage to the Japanese restaurant in the 15th (there were eight of us!). Last visit to Versailles (finally got to see the gardens). Last tarte au citron at the local bakery (this morning). Last meal at the student cafeteria (thank god). Last visit to API to give Anne-Marie our amazing card, flowers and the beautiful pink scarf we bought her. It was heartbreaking! She was tearing up and then she hugged all of us. All the new API summer program kids are there and it is sad because they will never replace us. We told Anne-Marie that she should not teach them to cook as well as she tought us, haha. We have also decided that the code on the API door should not be changed for purposes of our being able to visit if when we come back to Paris. I am seriously already thinking about when I will have graduated and will want to return with some of the same people I just spent five months with. Five life-changing months. Clichéd? Yes. True? Absolutely. When I remember Paris, I'll remember it how I knew it with them. It became our city, a little bit.
Last night we went out to a bar on Rue Mouffetard and then to Club Mix for the second time -- last time was last Thursday -- because it's a student club and Thursdays are free! I had actually met a French boy named Merzouk (French/caucasian, but originally from Algeria) whom I may or may not have danced with until 5:30am last week and had planned to meet again this week. Erm. About that. I promised myself I wouldn't get too attached (this was hard because I feel that French boys are very forward in comparison to American ones), but it was nice while it lasted. I can kind of say I had a French lover, which is poetic or something. We are going to stay in contact via MSN, and this part is cute but less poetic.
Whaaaaaaaaat eeeeeeeeeelse. Yesterday Elena, Hilary and I went to Père Lachaise and Montmartre and just walked around enjoying life and Paris, which is seriously what I think I would do if I were to stay here any longer. I've seen all the monuments multiple times, but the city itself -- just walking around and being with the people I've met here -- that's what I want to keep and remember and what I'll miss the most.
Tonight we'll probably wind up by the Seine, or by the Eiffel Tower, with some bread and cheese and wine and good company. We want to see it sparkle one more time.