The people I meet abroad are part of the reason I love to travel. A city becomes meaningful because of the people within it—that is why New York, London, and Paris are so special to me.
Now to the present day and to Paris! I am living in a dorm situated outside the city center in the suburbs, which the French call the banlieues; specifically, I live in the banlieue of Ivry-sur-Seine. Every day I commute on the metro to class, as the NYU academic center is in Paris’ Latin Quarter, just a few blocks away from the Notre Dame Cathedral. I enjoy my commute; it makes me feel like a true Parisian! Plus, living outside the city center allows me to exit the chaos of the city each day and return to the more peaceful atmosphere of the banlieues.
Some of my favorite parts of Paris so far include the Louvre (art museum) at night. I have gone with friends on a Friday night when the museum is open later, and it is even more beautiful then than it is during the day. I have loved trying new food, such as escargots (snails), which may sound gross, but once you visit Paris I urge you to take the risk and try a dish of escargots! My friend and I have also taken advantage of the metro system within Ile-de-France, the region Paris is in, (equivalent to a state in the U.S.) and visited the palace of Versailles. The gardens at Versailles are especially beautiful, and we even got to catch a glimpse of the Olympic stadium, which is built on the grounds of Versailles!
Paris is a vibrant city. The fast-paced environment in the boulangeries (bakeries) reminds me of bodegas in New York City.
