From Cusco, to Lima, to Atlanta, New York and finally Paris. Here I am, half way across the world for the second time in a few short weeks. The trip to Paris was a bit hectic as I had less than a day between my flight home from Peru and my departure to Europe. The bags were switched, took a quick shower, ate a sinfully delicious breakfast at Sweet Mama's in Northport (banana pancakes, eggs, toast, sausage, grapefruit juice, coffee...yum!) and took off again. No one could say that NYU doesn't give you the opportunity to do enough during your time as a student.
The Friday I arrived in Paris most students had already been here for a week so it was time to take the placement exam. The evaluation placed us in 7 or 8 different language groups for the preliminary course. At NYU Paris, the first two weeks of class are taken up by a preliminary language course that focuses on phonetics, grammar, vocabulary and conversation. Everyday, from 9:30 am to 13:00pm students are separated into different language groups and professors rotate between the classrooms instructing their various lessons. Next week I'll take some pictures of the NYU Paris building to share with you.
The apartment where I'm living is in the 5th arrondissement, perhaps better known to some as the Latin Quarter (Quartier Latin). When the taxi pulled up to the building, I was amazed. Rue des Ecoles is at a central location for sites such as the Pantheon, Maison de la Mutalite, The Cluny and the Sorbonne...all of which are within a 3 minute walking radius of my front door. Spoiled, I know! I'm right near Blv. St-Germain, the Seine is right down the street and Luxembourg Gardens is just a skip away.
The apartment is on the 6th floor with a view of Notre-Dame. Every morning we eat breakfast together...meaning the view of the church and myself. I tell my parents constantly, "I do not deserve to live in a place with such a beautiful view." It is a special treat that I am enormously grateful for.
I suppose a mini tour is in order if our conversations are going to be transatlantic for the next few months. You might as well get an idea of where these blogs are coming from!
Welcome: Come on in...
And there you have it! My little studio in the heart of Paris. Anyone's welcome to visit.
When my Uncle Sean was studying at Mary Washington University, he decided to study abroad in Paris for a semester and ended up staying for five years. His love for Paris is contagious. The stories he shares about his time working in a bookstore, the trips he took and the countless baguette he ate paints an image of a city well worth his admiration. Slowly, I find myself discovering the same magic that he found. For Christmas, he was kind enough for pick out some Paris guides he felt would help me explore the city a bit better. The most amazing resource has been the stack of walking tour cards that he said he would choose from at random in the event of a free afternoon. Little did I know, the very first card on top of the stack started right at the metro stop down the street. It was as if the day was fated to take place. The card led me over to the Ile de la Cite. I visited the Memorial de la Deportation, Notre-Dame Cathedral, the flower market, Sainte Chapelle, the Palace de Justice, the Conciergerie and finally Pont-Neuf at the very tip of the Island. It was such a quintessential way to start this new adventure in Paris.
Here are some photos from that first Sunday's walking trip, if you're interested...
Street Robot
More to come...enjoy!