The Start of Something New - July 12

Today has been a blur. The day began with another hotel breakfast and another morning when I ate way too much. It was all quite delicious though so it was worth it. Once we finished breakfast, we headed out for an adventure before it was time for me to part ways.

We headed out in search of cute French boutiques for some fun souvenirs. Along the way, we stopped at L’Église Saint-Paul Saint-Louis, a famous French church. The architecture was absolutely incredible. I got to light a candle for the Virgin Mary and say a prayer for the future. It was an absolutely surreal experience.

After our time in the church, we headed to some cute shops. We tried French chocolates, went to some local boutiques, and explored the Saint-Paul region. I loved checking everything out and watching all the people explore the city too. We walked around for a few hours before it was time for me to return to the hotel, grab my things, and meet up with my study-abroad friends.

My family and I traveled to my next hotel and said our goodbyes. It was time for me to leave them and officially start my newest adventure. In the entirety of my life, I have not been away from my family for more than a week at a time. Now, I will be away from them for nearly a month! This is truly the start of something new.

At the hotel, I met up with my instructor and found my roommates. As we waited for the rest of the group to arrive, my roommates and I acquainted ourselves with the hotel. Once everyone arrived, we set off for a little tour of the city. We walked from our hotel near the Seinne and went 40 minutes towards the Arc de Triomphe. Although we did not climb to the top, it was still an incredible sight. At this point, everyone was starting to get hungry so all twenty-something of us ate dinner at an Italian restaurant.

Cramping twenty people on the upper level of a Parisian restaurant is truly an event. We all talked about our flights, our hometowns, and plans for our stay. I loved mingling with my classmates and taking it all in. The food was absolutely amazing and it was fun to have everyone sharing bites and having a wonderful time.

After dinner, my classmate Hannah and I went off on our own and slowly made our way to the hotel. We stopped at a pharmacy for some toiletries and sunscreen. We then made the trek back while stopping at essential locations. We walked through the Jardin des Tuileries, walked along the Louvre, and then we stopped by the Seine and watched the boats. Some people may think that watching boats pass by sounds boring but seeing the different boats pass by in the cool air at sunset is an amazing experience. We watched the boats pass and then went back to the hotel.

When I arrived back at my hotel, I joined my roommates on the floor of our room as we chatted, enjoyed some nice drinks, and worked on our blogs together for a few hours. Once we were all content with what we had, we decided to explore a little. At this time, it was 11 pm but Paris never sleeps. We went off and enjoyed the nightlife.

Our hotel is located near the Notre Dame and so there was plenty to explore. We walked through the corridors and through the alleyways in search of unique places. We ate crepes at a little market and ended up covered in sugar. None of us cared. It was exhilarating to just explore and stay out late and try all of these wonderful and new things. The program officially begins and I am anxiously awaiting these next few weeks.

♡ Katie