katelyn’s blog

We had our last day of class yesterday and are all headed out of Paris in three days. I fear this means the end of our study abroad is here. I would like my last blog post to be somewhat of a post-mortem for this trip. I will give a list of some overall thoughts and things I’ve learned about myself and living in the city of Paris for a month. I will also show some pictures of my friends and me on this trip cause they are cool and it was super fun exploring France with them 🙂

1. Travel anxiety is inevitable. There were times when I would feel really nervous about the number of people standing on top of me on the metro or the fact that my mom and cats were so far away. But honestly, in these moments I would remind myself that I was in France and to get over it. And it worked! We stayed so busy that there was not much time to feel nervous or homesick for very long.
2. Mistakes happen! The train is late, your room keys don’t work, you get on the wrong train, you go out and stay up way too late the night before you have an early class… but there is always a solution. The French have an attitude that if something does not go your way or to plan, then oh well come up with a different plan. That has been a valuable lesson and really helped to keep the stress levels down. I hope I can take that mentality back to the States with me.
3. I wish we were taxed more!! Honestly, all of the amazing parks, city maintenance, and accessible/usable transit here make me want to pay more taxes at home. Smith has said multiple times that in the US we have the means to make cities as productive and functional as Paris, but we don’t do it because we don’t want to spend the money. But if higher taxes mean a better lifestyle AND not having to calculate tax when buying food/clothes then I’m down for it.
4. I still really love museums and learning about history. This was not something I really thought I would enjoy even more after this trip, but oh man has it affirmed my love for preserving all things old. We do not have as deep of a history or culture in the States as France since our country is relatively not that old. Learning about and seeing the history here made me realize how much more I could discover, explore, and preserve in other parts of the world and how important that is to me.
5. People are nice! Not necessarily all the French people… some of them are pushy, shovey, judgy, and rude, but all the people I’m traveling with are nice! I did not really know anyone going on this trip, and I was nervous it would be weird or awkward. But from the second we were all at the airport waiting for our plane to Paris everyone was super friendly and fun to talk to. We have all had this shared experience and made so many memories and *not to get emotional here cause I am that mom friend who would* but I am just really grateful to have made some new friends and traveled around Paris with y’all :,)

As this is the last week of class (wish I do NOT want to talk about I am so sad to be leaving boo hoo) I wanted to focus on something a little different than what I have been blogging about. Today I have been thinking about all the amazing meals and drinks I have had while being here, and I think it is worthwhile to briefly talk about my thoughts on French food as well as show off some of the pictures I have taken of yummy meal time.

The first thing to mention is that mealtime here in France is sacred. I have gone out for a “quick lunch” and ended up sitting for two and a half hours just slowly eating my food, talking to friends, and enjoying people-watching. There have honestly been times when I sat down at a cafe and finished my meal, but the ambiance of the rain on a canvas covering, the deep dragging noise of people getting out of their chairs, and the quiet mumble of French conversations are just so relaxing that it’s nice to stay and be in the moment. Food is valued here not only because it is so fresh, rich, delicious, and amazing, but also because it is used as a reason to slow down your day and enjoy the company of others. The wait staff may not give you your bill right away, but it feels lovely to finish up your drinks while chatting with friends and not being rushed out to move on with the rest of your day.

Another thing that is so nice about eating French food is there is such a variety! In everything! There are patisseries where you can get a whole baguette for around 1 euro, and then there are restaurants where just one drink is 18 euro. Variety! The wild thing is everything tastes amazing. From the cheap off-brand pringles to the freshest Caprese salad I have ever had in my entire life, there is always something yummy to eat nearby. And another wonderful thing is that waiters here are paid a livable wage, so you do not have to calculate tips at the end of a meal which is so nice because I am not very good at math. Here are just some cool food pics to see all the yummy yummy things I’ve been munching on recently.

Lastly, to end, I want to talk about my favorite place to eat here in Paris. It is a small place Grace, and I discovered around day two of the trip (thanks to some kids in Cartland’s class), and honestly, it has the best pastries and baked goods I have had this entire month/ in my entire life. It is called La Fabrique aux Gourmandises and is only about a 5-10 minute walk from our dorm. We cut through a lovely park and go into the shop with wide eyes and a rumbly tummy. The girls who work there are always so happy and kind. They speak a little English and are very understanding of my futile attempts at French. They have an assortment of treats and nourishing meals, and it is not very expensive. Honestly, our daily morning snack before getting on the train before class is one of the things I will miss the most. Ok, here are more food pics so I don’t have to think about leaving and going back to fake, processed, and more expensive food in the US.

To start my wonderful, bright, and sunny Friday morning here in France, my class and I headed under the streets of pairs to visit the Sewer Museum. From 10 am-11 am, I spent my time walking around a sewer, stench and all, and learning everything I could about it. Dr. Smith is very knowledgeable about the pairs sewer system, and honestly, it was a great tour that I feel many people miss out on when traveling to Paris, France. Other than feeling like a lovely little sewer rat all morning, let’s get into what I learned about Parisian plumbing in the Paris Sewer Museum.

The first impressive fact we learned today is that the French sewer systems rely very little on pumps and instead focus more on gravity to move the contents of the pipes around. This uses much less energy and is extra beneficial in the case of a power outage. This precaution is necessary because it will greatly reduce the chance of the sewers flooding if a power outage occurs. Since the Seine River often does flood Paris, the sewage system was built to survive heavy flooding by depending mainly on gravity.

The layout of the sewer system here in Paris is also extremely interesting and productive! The sewage pipes have a variety of different shapes depending on what the area needs. There are cylindrical pipes just to move fluids and matter, large pathways that can be walked on for access and maintenance, as well as pipes just large enough for one person to stand up in. The electricity for the city is also laid out in these same underground passageways which increase the accessibility of main sewage/power lines. This aspect of the system is useful in case of an accident or for maintenance. I love consistency in city maintenance so this was great to hear! Also, the street signs underground were really engaging to see as a visitor at this museum. They are the same design as the street signs above ground, and they helped me to orient myself as well as visualize how extensive this system under the city really is.

Additionally, there are intuitive methods in place for when problems do occur in the pipes. Large sewer boats are used to sort of sift through the water and material in it to help prevent any blocks or buildups that may occur by the sewage and any items that may be in it. However, for the pipes that are smaller and entirely tubular with no room for these large boats to pass through, sewer balls are dropped into the pipes. Due to its self-healing properties, these large spherical balls are made of wood to prevent detrimental cracks/breaks from occurring while the balls are in the sewer pipes. They are also covered in tar to make cleaning purposes easier. The point of these large sewer balls is to unblock the pipes. If there is a clog, the balls will be sent down the pipes and, since the pipes are gravity based, the build-up behind the sewer ball will eventually have enough force to push it forward and through the original clog. It then will roll all the way through until it comes out the other end and is collected for cleaning and reuse.

Lastly, the cleanliness of the water system here in Paris is rather impressive, especially for such a large metropolitan area. There is an extensive filtration system that uses bio-mechanics to clean the sewer water before it is dumped back into the Seine. In the US, water from sewers often does not get filtered until after it has already been dumped into the rivers. This is why there is such a problem with sewer water runoff in the US leading to the eutrophication of wetlands and streams damaging an integral part of our natural environment. So, yet again, France does it better and has some of the cleanest water in the world as sewer water is filtered first and then released back to the Seine River to travel through aqueducts and be re-used in the city. In fact, these aqueducts carry water into the city from wayyy upstream which helps to ensure the Pairs water is extra clean and safe for drinking.

Even though it was really stinky and somewhat weird to be enjoying talking about Paris’ sewage, I have very high respect for the people who work underground and make clean and accessible water possible for this city and many others like it.

Today we visited the Musee d’Orsay in the 7th arrondissement of France. It was a beautiful Second Empire-style building with ornate windows and a visible roof line. Immediately upon entering the museum and looking up, I was slightly confused. We were going to a museum I knew nothing about, and it looked like a train station. The airy space created by extremely high, vaulted ceilings, glass panels on the roof, steel framing and trusses, and a giant gold clock made me feel like I was in the wrong place. Even the amount of people walking around felt more like a train station than a museum! However, it was explained that Musee d’Orsay did in fact used to be a train station in the late 19th century and did not open as a museum until 1986. Adaptive reuse! yay! I was rather excited about the transformation of this space as I believe it is important to reuse older buildings (especially really intricate ex-train stations!) instead of mass-producing new structures and instating tear-downs. On the other hand… I had not yet formed a solid opinion on what I thought about this space as a museum.

As I mentioned, I love the adaptive reuse of spaces, but is turning a train station into a museum the right call? In my mind, the short answer is no. The high ceilings and natural light did not allow me to immerse myself in the history of the objects on display as much as other smaller and dimly lit museums have. The organization of the different exhibits felt very randomized and almost maze-like. It was hard to navigate the space as there are 5 floors with different staircases tucked away in several separate parts of the building. It honestly was an overstimulating environment and not really set up in the way that I personally enjoy walking around museums, especially when it is largely paintings.

On the other hand, the contents of the museum were amazing. From art-nouveau furniture to Van Gogh’s Starry Night Over the Rhone, there was an incredible amount of artistic objects that accurately told the stories of creative history from around the same time the train station was built at the turn of the century.

I really LOVED the art-nouveau style of furniture throughout the 3rd floor of the museum. Smith described it as bug-like which I think is a pretty accurate description. I really enjoy nature, and so when there is an architectural or interior design style that combines organic elements such as leaves, fruit, animals, and flowers, it is really appealing to me. The nouveau and craftsmen style furniture also match the impressionism and post-impression art pieces that are also located on the 3rd and 2nd floors of the building.

Monet has always been one of my favorite artists because of his beautiful, soft, vivid paintings. I know this is not an art or museum class, but I have taken a lot of art history classes at UMW and have found I have a strong appreciation and interest in art and the different representations of art through varying decades. So while today’s lesson in the Musee d’Orsay was slightly less architecturally based (and I do not really agree with how this architecture is being reused…) it was still such an educational and interesting visit. I am glad I got to go and experience some art that was different then what we have been studying thus far.

Oh! Also bonus, we say a portrait by Gari Melchers?!? That was unexpected and so cool! He is such a UMW guy! I sent an email to my old art history teacher who just retired this past semester, and I hope she is as excited about it as we were 🙂

Over the long weekend, roomie Grace, Caitlin (her friend from home whom I am so happy to know now since she is pretty awesome), and I took a trip to Annecy France. I have been looking forward to our long weekend becuase I knew it would be a great time to relax and do a bit of my own exploring while I am here in Europe. And oh my goodness this weekend trip has ended up being so much better than I could have imagined. We have all been having so much fun! Between the cute shops and bars and the incredible mountains behind Lake Annecy, we could not have picked a better place to travel. I could make a million blog posts on all we did here, but today I am going to focus on the Museum at the Annecy Chateau since that is where we visited today.

The Chateau was built over the period of five centuries. This means that there are obvious differences in its architectural configuration. Starting in the 12th century, tall circular towers were built as a sign of feudal power. In the 14th and 15th centuries, an addition of taller towers were developed which would have helped in the defense of the chateau by giving guards a better vantage point to shoot arrows at any incoming enemies. As the medieval period came to an end, a more hospitable atmosphere was created as the chateau follows French Renesiacne architecture with larger dwelling areas and common rooms for mealtime with the court members.

In addition to the incredible architecture we saw here, there were also a lot of art exhibits included in the museum. There were really interesting modern art representations of the built environment versus the natural environment surrounding Annecy. This was one of my favorite parts as I am very passionate about preserving both the natural parts of our earth as well as the human-made parts. The environmental archeology exhibit was a great way to include the importance of the physical land Annecy was built on, and how it has given back to its inhabitants since the Neolithic Era.

One of the other reasons I loved this museum was because of its dedication to its work. As someone who can not read French, there were not many signs I could comprehend as we walked through the different exhibits. However, there were several signs that had an English translation as well as immersive activities that you did not even need a language for. For example, there were puzzles of paintings, books to flip through, and artistic videos of natural landscapes to watch instead of read.

Furthermore, there was a section of the museum where many historic pieces of furniture were stored in preparation for another exhibit currently being developed. There was a sign stating how museums are living organisms and I could not agree more. A museum is made to capture what living history looked like. This means that there is more of an emphasis on recreating a historic space as it would have been used as opposed to displaying an array of objects. For example, instead of having a table on show, there would be a table set with plates, cutlery, prop food, chairs, and proper lighting to give the ambiance of mealtime in the 15th century. The fact that this museum provides visitors with information on their plans for future exhibits was very intriguing and inspiring to me as someone who wants to work in museums.

Overall, this Annecy trip has been one of the most beautiful, wonderful, and memorable weekends of my life and I am so grateful to be here with friends and explore its culture and history!

This title may come off as a shock to some, and definitely to King Louis XIV, but to me it rings true. Today we visited Opera Garnier, and in my opinion, it was better than Versailles. Let me explain.

I am in no way saying Versailles is underwhelming or unimpressive whatsoever. It was one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen in my life. I could make a whole other post about that and all I learned from my experience there. However, since the sunburn on my chest and shoulders from that day still remains from the scorching sun (thank you Sun King), I am slightly bitter about it and would much rather talk about our tour of the Opera Garnier.

I don’t even know where to start with this so I will just talk about it in the order we walked through it/learned about it. The south facade of the Opera is currently undergoing construction that began in April of this year and is expected to end by late 2024. This was slightly disappointing as there are beautiful archways and columns all along the back steps that I would have loved to see in person. However, the way the city is handling the reconstruction is generally pleasing to my preservation mind. The Opera Garnier was built in 1861 and was listed as a historic monument in 1923. This reconstruction project is led by the Operator of Cultural Heritage and Real Estate Projects as well as the chief architect of historical monuments, Pascal Prunet. As the building is over a century old, maintenance and restoration are obviously required and are important factors when it comes to the continuation and usability of the space. The south facade has been covered in scaffolding with a detailed and impressive scaffolding sheet displaying an image of what is behind the construction in an attempt to retain the aesthetics of the structure (Image A). In contrast, there was a gigantic advertisement on the scaffolding sheet that does not match or replicate any of the original designs of the South Facade. However, the advertising profits help to finance the €7.2 million project. So I can’t be too mad when I am using my preservation brain since the ugly ad is paying for the conservation of this historic monument.

Once we walked around to the other side, we were able to enter the building and were met with a grand facade that even included a gold-etched model of the ground floor plan designed by Charles Garnier himself (Image B). Each lampost lining the entrance has a Napoleonic N marking the fact that this building embraces the glory of Napoleon. And it only gets more impressive from here…

The entry-level of the Opera had outstanding ornate decorations. There were ionic columns and archways supporting a highly decorated ceiling just in the space where you buy your tickets (Image C). Exiting this area into the main section of the Opera house was also stunning. There was a delicate statue of a ballerina and carvings on the walls and ceilings continued throughout (Image D). There were even carvings of lyre harps in the ceiling which helped to inform visitors of the use of the space as well as creating a musical atmosphere before even getting to the same level as the stage.

Learning about the grand entrance and staircase was very interesting. I mean, it was breathtaking in every direction you looked. Not an inch of the interior of this building was left undecorated. From the enormously tall, vaulted, carved, and painted ceilings, to the floral mosaic tiles on the floor, it was covered in ornate details (Image E-G). There were even gigantic chandeliers and gorgeous caryatids. Throughout this entirely over-the-top staircase and entrance, there are statues and sculptures of muses, mainly Poetry and Music, further adding to the artistic and musical ambiance of the entrance to the opera. This grandness helped make coming to an Opera or ballet an event in itself. It was a spectacle just to arrive; often times people were more focused on those attending the show than the actual shows themselves. As a prior theater kid, I try not to be offended by that… however, I can also understand that the grand gossip and scandal occurring in the opera house was equally entertaining.

Probably one of my favorite aspects of the Opera Garnier is the basement. We learned the area of the 9th arrondissement that Opera Garnier is located in used to be an entirely different terrain. There were hills and valleys that have been flattened to ground level in order to create streets suitable for Paris (diagonals with terminal vistas). Becuase of this man-made topography change, the area is more likely to have problems with flooding. In order to avoid this ruining the space itself and events held at Opera Garnier, there is an entire man-made lake underneath it! This stunned me for a couple of reasons. Number 1, what an incredibly genius idea. There was a problem with flooding and so they just raised the opera house up and allowed the basement to be filled with water in a safe and controlled manner to avoid unpredicted floods. Number 2, it has a whole ecosystem! There are plants and fish and microorganisms just hanging out under an opera house in Paris. Cool! Number 3, I had questions about how there could be so much water under a building without causing damage. Luckily my roomie Grace sent me a link to the Opera de Nationale website where they have virtual 3D tours of the entire space. I visited the basement lake and saw that it has concrete walls with flemish brick bond ceilings. This way there is no possibility of wood rot and the water is appropriately contained. And lastly number 4. Yet again, my theater kid heart was activated and I immediately thought of The Phantom of the Opera and his underground water-filled basement chambers. I was rather delighted to be able to make this connection. To be honest I was thinking about Phantom of the Opera the whole time because so much of this opera house reminded me of that musical. Probably because the musical setting for film and onstage productions was inspired by this exact opera/ballet house! It was super cool to be in a place that inspired the story for one of my favorite musicals. I will put the link to the virtual tours below, but honestly, if you are ever in Paris you need to visit the Opera Garnier in person because, well, it was better than Versailles.

Virtual Tour- https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/op%C3%A9ra-national-de-paris?hl=en

Info on the construction- https://www.constructioncayola.com/batiment/article/2023/05/09/144148/restauration-facade-principale-palais-garnier

This is something that Dr. Smith asked us many times while in the Jardin du Luxembourg. This is a beautiful question that truly indicates the variety that this park has to offer. I am going to dive into some brief history about the park, and then jump into how I felt about it, and, well, what appealed to me.

The Luxembourg Garden is currently owned by the French Senate. It is located in the 6th arrondissement and is open to the public. Previously this space was used as a palace for Marie de’ Medici. After she became a widow to her husband in, King Henry IV, the Luxembourg Palace was constructed. Marie now needed a new place to reside and in the year 1612, the building process began. She desired a stunning Italian Baroque-style home to connect her to her own Italian roots as well as tranquil, classic French gardens to tie herself to her new homeland as well as her late husband. There is even an original fountain from her garden located in the park. It is easy to access and get up close to in order to see what Marie de’ Medici would have been admiring while walking around her palace gardens.

The high taxes from local French citizens are what keep the park the way it is. In the States, a park like this would never be possible because citizens are much more focused on their individual rights. They would say things like “I have the right to sit where I want to sit,” “I can walk through this grass if I want to,” and “I can break and enter into this government building if I want to simply because they grant us easy access to its outer perimeter!” However, here in France, the higher taxes means the community cares a bit more about each other since they are technically paying more for nicer spaces. The tax-paying citizens help to provide the government with funds to consistently maintain public parks. *shocking I know* This allows for a cleaner and well-sustained park environment.

This park is located directly in front of the French Senate building (what used to be Marie’s Palace). The close proximity of such a public space to a sector of the French government allows for a better relationship between the government and its citizens. This concept of trusting your own residents enough to enjoy a public space in front of a senate building makes France feel more like the republic that it is (it is on its 5th one mind you). The building is not scary, inaccessible, and looming over you as you rush past, but it is pretty, well-maintained, and inviting. However, the baroque aspect of the building, the gate around the perimeter, and stationed security officers help to create that strong, important, and grand feeling needed for a government building in order to display its intenseness and use. There is also a gate surrounding the park and not just the government building. This helps it to be less intimidating and reminds the people that they deserve protection too and safety is not just for those higher up in society (Once again. Wild. America take notes).

Now on to the portion on this post regarding my ~feelings~. As someone who prefers the green leaves of trees and the fresh scent of flowers to the exhaust from the cars and crowds of people, I felt so at peace in this park. The array of statues and fountains lining the walk into the garden immediately separated the space from the narrow streets of the city. The Four Parts of the World fountain being at the beginning of the path towards the garden creates an inviting and welcoming atmosphere. Anyone from anywhere can come into this park and find something that they enjoy.

For me, I most enjoyed the beauty of the iconic French garden and the history of the place itself. To see the fountain that Marie chose herself felt very special and allowed me to connect more with the space. The evenly trimmed shrubs and rhythmic trickles from the fountains produce an atmosphere that practically forces you to take a deep breath. I am drawn to places with space and fresh air, and after having walked around the center of pairs for the past week, this was exactly what I needed. It truly makes so much sense why they would create a public space like this.

An additional appealing factor of this park for me was the fruit gardens. I enjoy learning about how other places tend to their native species of flora and how they use them in everyday life. The signs regarding the types of dye that could be made from certain trees and the specific growth pattern of the fruit trees to produce the most amount of fruit were really interesting! I also just loved how walkable and accessible all this was. We went through every section of the park and it was a great opportunity to relax back into nature for a bit and stretch your legs on the gravel paths.

Overall, I see a great amount of value in this park due to its beauty, history, accessibility, and variety. The number of transitional spaces allows for the park to be intergenerational and widely used. Whether you want to play sports in the tennis/Pétanque courts (no thank you, not for me, I do not play sports well) or you want to simply walk around and enjoy a picnic near a charming fountain (yes, me, I will be going back to do this) then this park is the place for you. I am beginning to sound like an ad now so I will stop raving about it, but truly the Jardin de Luxembourg has something that will appeal to everyone.

Oh man. We have only been in Paris for three days, and it feels like it has been much longer, for we have already seen and experienced so much! By calling this post “today was a fairytale,” I am not only quoting a Taylor Swift song but also trying to encapsulate the recurring feeling I have been experiencing since arriving here. This is not to say everything has gone smoothly with no bumps in the road to overcome, but before I got into blogging about all I am learning and seeing, I want to do just an initial oh my god I’m in Paris France how am I feeling?

The first piece of magic I experienced was the effective transit system. It is not always a fun journey per se, but it truly works at getting people places in a safe and efficient manner. It makes me sad that there is so much stigma around using public transit at home when here it is normal and widely accepted. Upon arriving at our castle of a dorm, I was automatically transported into a storybook that I do not think I have left yet. Maybe it is still just the culture shock, but it truly feels like I am a character in a book or on a movie set. From the grand entrance and staircases in the main building to the tiny four-person cage-like French elevator with only five buttons, everything on this campus is nothing as I have seen before. Except for the cafeteria that is pretty average. When we began to explore the campus (because we did not have room keys but still we got to look around), we found the oldest building at Cite Universitarie which was built between the two World Wars in an attempt to create world peace by bringing young minds together in an international education institute. Near this building, there was a wooden trellis with green leaves and vines all throughout and a stone patio courtyard. It looked like it was out of Harry Potter so now we all call it the harry potter building. Inside, there was actually a film set for a French movie that was currently in production. That was really cool to see and truly made me feel even more like this was a false reality.

When we are walking around and I look up at the sky or down at the sidewalk, it honestly feels like I am home walking around D.C. But when the cross breeze from the Seine River blows, I look to my left and see white pop-up market tents, smell amazing breakfast pastry, and turn to my right and see the Notre Dame and tall narrow limestone resident buildings with mansard roofs and casement windows all the way up, it jolts me back to the fact that I am literally walking around in France. It’s crazy! To be in a place that is so widely iconic and famous feels unreal and it is truly a magical experience to just be able to exist in this area. On the river cruise, my friend and I were talking a lot about how it all did not feel real yet because we are not the kind of people to go to France and sit on a boat starring out at the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre, but here we are doing it. Each shop has large windows for shopping, each cafe has tiny tables and chairs inviting you to take a rest and eat something (if the amazing smell has not already) and each building has some wild, historic design that makes you want to know everything about it.

That’s another part of why this feels so magical and insane is because of how old it is here. Kings were just chilling around the same places that I wait at to cross the street! Since America is such a young country and not strongly connected to a cohesive culture, the deep-rooted sense of history here is incredibly impactful and almost overwhelming. France is aware of its power and beauty and its pain and suffering, and it makes sure that if you are thinking about it, you will notice it everywhere. And oh my am I thinking about it. Ok, I will literally write forever about how enchanting and surreal it is to be here studying what I love with people who I love being around, so I will close it off with two other random things I’ve noticed that make me feel like I’m in a fairytale.

Sometimes I am walking down a street, and there is just a young group of boys playing soccer on the road under all of these tall buildings with florals draped from the balconies, and it is incredibly endearing. Or a girl will walk past with a single baguette in her toat bag and just move like she doesn’t even need to think about where she is going. Everything here goes fast yet is experienced slowly (especially mealtime!), and so it is all so easily romanticized, and I love it. Also french is such a beautiful language, and it is so cool to be hearing so many people speak a language I have only ever heard on TV. They talk so fast though it’s impossible to understand what they are saying, but I’m really out here trying my best.

This is only day three, and I am writing too much, but we only have to post twice a week so they are most likely going to continue to be super lengthy and mostly just follow my train of thought. Anywho, au revoir!

This is my first post! I never made a blog before so I have no idea if this will show up or if I am doing it right. However, I am excited to blog while abroad in Paris!