Love at First Sight!

September 4th marks the day that one of my dreams came true. I was filled with so much excitement since it has always been a dream of mine to visit Paris and see the Eiffel Tower. I don't know what is is but I have always had a fascination for the Eiffel Tower and thought it was such a beautiful structure. My close friends and family can tell you that I would always go crazy whenever I found something related to Paris or the Eiffel Tower, key chains, picture frames, shirts, mirrors, jewelry, you name it! The day started out great with the most perfect weather anyone could ever ask for. Besides having butterflies in my stomach, I was also worried that I might be disappointed and would have a McKayla Moroney "not impressed" moment! But the minute I saw the smallest bit of the tower up in the sky, I almost passed out. I had the biggest smile on my face and there was nothing that could ruin that moment. To say that it is beautiful is an understatement. I know, I'm obsessed, but what can I do? I just soaked up the moment as much as I could and until now, I have been in Paris too many times to keep track of. I feel so blessed to be able to just hop on a train whenever I want and just drop by if I want.

                                                                  My first glimpse!

Up close!

My first picture in front of the tower!

Gotta have my tourist-y picture! 

My New Little Town Which I Call Home

Nowadays when I say I'm going home, I mean Étiolles, which is a small town located about 27 miles south-east of Paris. I guess that makes me an Étiollais now, as they call it. Most of the town is made up of a huge forest which is very easy to get lost in. The rest of the town gives you a mixed vibe of what I feel is old French and modern American suburbs. You also have your typical French boulangerie-patisserie(bakeries) and supermarché(supermarket). The church and town hall definitely give you that cozy small town feel when you arrive. I go into Paris a lot and on my way to the train station I always cross a bridge across the Seine River which runs all throughout my area. Simply put, Étiolles is green, peaceful, and beautiful, the perfect combination.

                                    La Marie D'Étiolles- Town Hall

                                       The local Catholic church

                                      My view of the Seine River

My Journey to La France...

Bonjour! Well it's officially been 2 weeks since I've arrived! Flying from New York City to Reyjavik, Iceland and then from there to Paris, France was quite a trip! As soon as I got my luggage and came out of the arrivals area of the airport, I thought it was a total sketch fest. "What kind of airport is this?" I thought. It was about 6:30AM. Strange and suspicious people(well in my eyes!) lurking around looking for their next victim I suppose. Luckily my host family came right on time before I got the wrong impression on how things would go for me during the rest of my stay. 

As I arrived in my little suburban town, I began to see the beauty that is France. My residential area is part of a forest, so occasionally one can take a walk through this forest. Tired and hungry I was still convinced that this was all a dream and could not bring myself back to Earth. I got to enjoy my first meal which included  a Mesclun Salad with tomatoes and smoked mozzarella plus a dish made with rice and veal. Later on I got to enjoy my first walk around the neighborhood and feel like a kid in a candy store whenever I heard a child speaking French. Something about that gets me every time! This is where it all began...

Stay tuned for plenty of more pictures and interesting facts that I am obligated to learn through my experiences here!

Au revoir!