Indian Summer

It's been uncharacteristically warm in Paris. By this time of my trip I was expecting to be wearing my fall coat on a daily basis and having a hard time getting out from under my comforter for morning classes. Instead, I am having dinner on the terrace and enjoying my nights with the windows wide open.

I dedicate my Wednesdays to the French culture. My day starts bright and early with Advanced French at 8AM. This includes 3 consecutive hours of the French language which means that if I don't understand something, I won't get an explanation in English - rather more French words in a different order. While this frustrates me from time to time (especially at such early hours of the day) it is the most challenging course that I am taking this semester and I am grateful for the opportunity to learn the language while being in the country of its origin.

3 hours of consecutive French is followed by 3 more hours of French Civilization. This class is in English, but is centered around everything France - starting from the very first people who roamed the land of France long before it was a country. Today, our professor took us on a tour of the 5th District. I was able to capture some of this tour's finest moments.

After the tour we were left to explore on our own. A couple of the girls and I grabbed a bottle of wine for a picnic in a nearby park. I can only hope that I can convey the vibes that I felt at this location. On a random Wednesday afternoon people were laying on the grass and simply enjoying life. While some people were enjoying the weather, other people were more focused on enjoying one another ;) All types of people - young & old. I'm thinking about starting a line of post cards...

As far as the near future is concerned - this weekend I will be discovering Normandy. 

The weekend after I will be visiting Barcelona for Sensation.

In the meantime, feel free to enjoy the following video for a more realistic vibe of what I'm experiencing here. This takes place on a bridge over the Seine to the famous melody of La Vie En Rose played live by a man with an accordian.