the most magical moments here lately have been while taking long walks, usually (and preferably) on my own. whether it be early in the morning, mid-afternoon, or late at night - i've always really looked forward to clearing my mind and organizing my thoughts by aimlessly walking and admiring my surroundings. my go-to route in iowa city includes a detour through the ped mall to people watch, down along the river where i cross every bridge i see, and over to city park where i usually end up sitting in the shakespearean theatre for awhile before heading back. in dubuque, i love the routes through the forest of swiss valley, heritage trail lined with tall trees, and sometimes just simply along the gravel roads near my house.
but, in paris, it's another world. whenever i feel out of it, not myself in someway, or just simply nostalgic, i force myself to get up and take a walk which, naturally, always turns into hours and hours of getting lost along the seine and exploring which ever old street has the most provocative stone passageway or the most colorful storefront. this city seems so small sometimes, everything seems to be within eye-sight. 2 minutes from my apartment, there is a beautiful view of the sacre coeur in the distance and a view of the eiffel tower from the other side. if i keep walking i run into the tuileries gardens, the louvre, and the notre dame. but in general, everywhere i look there is some kind of artful masterpiece, beautiful garden, or mind-blowing cathedral.
walks of solitude, to me, really seem to be a healer of all wounds - for anything from a hangover to homesickness. i come back to myself when i am able to really lose myself in the beauty that surrounds me.

im going to normandy this weekend with some people from my program - really looking forward to it. but even more than that, i am unable to express how excited i am about my little sister coming to visit me in less then 2 weeks! when i think about it, the only thing that could make this experience better would be to share it with a loved one from home. i am so antsy to take her to my favorite walking spots and to share a bottle of wine with her in a local cafe, to dance the night away together in a foreign country. we will spend the last weekend of her visit in venice, italy where i hope to indulge in the best pizza in the world and get hit on by the best flirts in the world. plane ticket and hostel were booked last night - couldn't be more stoked!

writing has saved my soul here. studying abroad can be almost equally as intense and overwhelming as it can be beautiful and full of wonder and new-ness.

many sleepless nights
spent tonight listening to mix tapes and looking at fashion blogs

here are a couple of my favorites:
http://nzca-lines.com/#2178243/Mixtapes
http://ftbh.blogspot.com/

Settling into my life in Paris. This weekend was especially wonderful for me - a bit more relaxed maybe than many of my weekends here have been so far, but nonetheless, wonderful. I've been trying to surround myself with things I love, things that make me feel more at home while also stepping out of the box and trying to expand my horizons. Thursday night, I ventured to a less-seen area of the city to see a couple local Parisian bands play in the cave-like basement of a cafe. The musicians were experimental and played with large smiles on their faces. For the first time since I've been here, I felt like I had found a spot that was familiar to me - a crowded basement of captivated, music lovers, clear plastic cups filled with beer, and a magical late-night energy. 

The next day, a couple new friends and I went in search of a dance studio and found a part of the city which held the jackpot of thrift stores! Every street corner we passed, another one seemed to pop up and the clothes seemed to be getting cheaper and more beautiful by the minute. I was so overwhelmed with excitement that my hands literally shook as I ran my hands over gorgeous 30 euro fur coats and velvet skirts. After a couple hours of hopping from store to store, we stumbled upon a large building which blasted loud house music over large speakers. We walked into a large open room filled with young fashion designers and artists showing their latest work. A group of Dj's bobbed their head in the corner while beautiful, young people walked around wearing beautiful, unique clothes. It was places like this that made me want to go to Paris in the first place. My friend and I stayed all afternoon and then came back later that night to see a band play. I spent more money then I probably should have but tried not to feel guilty about it on account of I was supporting young artists/designers. 

Last night, I took my first dance class in a long time. I have no words to describe the way I feel physically and mentally when I dance. I took a hip-hop class in that same part of town that held the thrift stores and designer show (new favorite area in the city obviously). It was perfect. The minute the music started and we began to warm up, I felt as if I had never stopped. I'm beginning to realize how important it is for me to balance my life out with a physical activity that I am passionate about. Dance needs to be something that I continuously pursue in my life. 

Today was laid back. I went with my roommate this morning to see the famously beautiful view of Paris from the Sacre Couer  and it was just as wonderful as I had always imagined it would be. Since then, I've spent most of my Sunday afternoon in my bed - reading, doing French homework, watching re-runs of Sex and the City, napping, and skyping with my family. A perfect ending to a perfect weekend. 

The universe continues to send me the most amazing opportunities, lessons, and adventures - I am so thankful. xo

snuck some photos of my homestay - it's so beautiful and french with large golden-framed mirrors and oil paintings that cover the wall (which reminds me of my grandparent's home, Derby Grange). the best part is that i have my own room with a tiny bathroom attached. the couple we live with are older and seem like such kind souls - i already feel so comfortable. but they don't speak a lot of english so it's a bit hard to communicate sometimes. they have a granddaughter who is also living with us. she is our age and speaks english well so if we really need to communicate something she can translate. i'm excited to improve on my french and be able to get to know them better on my own though!
we are in the 7th district right between the notre dame and the eiffel tower - doesn't get any better than that. we are neighbors with the most beautiful cathedral and only a couple blocks away from a large, beautiful park which i plan to spend lots of time at once it warms up a bit. so far everything has been a bit overwhelming - at this point, i'm physically and mentally exhausted and praying that i won't get sick so that i can fully enjoy the busy week of activities ahead.

bonsoir -- xo

stood merely inches from this work of art by marc chagall - an exhilarating experience which i will probably never  forget. a rush of flashbacks came over me as i remembered sitting in my childhood bedroom flipping through a book of chagall's work, fascinated by the colors and curvy images. also, enjoyed the work of giacometti (my cat's namesake) as well as many more incredible art that made my eyes water with excitement at the modern art museum in Saint Paul de Vence - which made it on the already huge list of most beautiful places i've ever seen. the small village sits on top of a mountain, is surrounded by a massive stone wall which used to serve as protection against invaders, and is made up of the most tiny art galleries and bakeries you can imagine - all which have a window showing off the beautiful mountain sides and gardens that surround the town.

lately, i've been able to sleep - long, deep sleeps which leave me a bit drowsy during the day but i can feel my body lovin' me for it.

this weekend was wonderful. i spent friday afternoon/evening on the beach with some friends from my program. we shared some bottles of wine, laughed a lot, and watched the sun set over the mediterranean. after a late friday night, saturday's hangover cure included a late-morning nail painting party and an afternoon trip downtown for nutella crepes and champagne macaroons. 

                                      

on sunday we went to monaco and i was completely blown away by its beauty. the statement "this is the most beautiful place i have ever seen" has been of frequent use in my vocabulary lately - but especially on that day considering i said it almost every hour. we wandered around the old, mountain top villages and took photos of the view from the top. we went to monte carlo and imagined that we were part of the rich and famous that kept their summer homes there. we toured the gardens of eze and ended our day sitting at the very top, soaking in the sun, and telling stories.

                                                                                  

 

     I'm slowly getting used to things in Cannes. Even though I'm only here for two weeks, I unpacked all my things and made my half of the room feel somewhat cozy which cancels out some of the homesickness.

    Today was my second day of class - 3 hours of sitting in a circle of about 13 students from all over the world learning how to describe our last birthday party and our room at home in French. It's fun for the most part but by the end of the class, most of us walk away exhausted with a headache. In general though, I couldn't be more excited to be completely surrounded by such a beautiful sounding language. I'm dying to get to the point where I am able to have a decent conversation in French. It will come soon enough. There is no possible way to not learn in this environment. 

    When I'm not sleeping, eating or in class, my friends and I spend a lot of time walking around the older part of downtown. It's one of the most romantic places I have ever seen - narrow, brick passageways that curve among steep hills which are occupied on both sides by the smallest, most intimate cafes and art galleries. Last night, we stumbled into a blue and pink lit cave - it was like a mini night club. We sipped on our glasses of wine and failed to keep any decent conversation as we dazed off watching as a 60-year-old man danced at the bar, large screens which featured high fashion models walk the runway, and a DJ spinned late-90's hip-hop tracks. All in all, it was a good night and it's been a wonderful past few days. 

      More later! xo