PARIS, FRANCE

I lived in Paris for the three months. There is so much to say about this city that I'll try and keep it as short and sweet as possible. It is my favorite city and three months wasn't enough time to really get to know it (but I like to pretend).


I lived in the 17th arrondissement. It's basically north of the Arc de Triomphe. It was a nice area. Not near any of the famous monuments but a great area to live.

My office was on the Champs Elysees. The Champs Elysees is the most famous street in Paris and probably the world. It has so many fancy shops (most are too expensive for me). The Louis Vuitton store is ridiculous. There are so many shops and neat things to see that you could easily spend a couple hours window shopping or enjoying a drink at one of the many cafes.

It was quite an experience to walk this street everyday. And it might have been a good thing that my office didn't face the street - I don't think I would have gotten anything done if it had.

When I moved to Paris, I didn't really know anyone who lived there. I had met some Americans at a Notre Dame football game watch earlier in the fall and when I moved into the city I contacted them again. They were a great resource to have. Many of the people I eventually became friends with, I met through them.

The one disadvantage of this is that most of my friends were Americans. This is only unfortunate because, I guess, it diluted the authentic experience of France and hindered any French language proficiency I had gained.

I probably didn't do as much as I should have in terms of seeing the city. For one, I never made it to the Louvre, except to buy some prints for my dad. I did make it to the Rodin museum (amazing in the spring and summer), Invalides, the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, and many other great areas.

I think Rodin and Invalides were two of the coolest places I visited. One of my favorite things to do though, when I had visitors, was to walk from place to place. You stumbled upon some very interesting parts of the city when you're lost. I really think it's the best way to do it if you have the time and flexibility.