The Experience of a Lifetime

The Panthéon, with it's tombs and pendulum inside
I'm back from Paris, France a changed woman.

If you want to know everything I did in France, I must disappoint you and say that it's impossible for me to tell every moment, there were just so many. All will come in typical conversations with friends when something said would remind me of one of those moments and then it will be re-lived as someone else hears it.

I LIVED in my dream city, spoke a ton of French (daily!!!), walked a lot, ate chocolate deserts everyday (mmmm), danced with no self-consciousness, saw the art, the people, the gardens, the city, the sites, and broke a few hearts while feeling the most free I've ever felt. Living on my own was great, it felt right.

Vincent and I.

And then something happened, a moment that made this experience be one of a kind.
This....
meeting them.
It was at that very moment, in that restaurant where I had drinks with some of my classmates (and David, Diana's husband from France) that I realized the significance of this gathering. So many different cultures, backgrounds, life experiences, ages, all together having the best time, with nothing but true love for French and life. There was no bickering, no dirty looks, just smiles, laughs and interesting conversation. That moment, was in fact, what I've desired. I've always wanted to see how it was like to be with so many different people, how interesting it would be to learn from them what I can't by reading a book or seeing the news. When in France, I didn't expect that to happen, and I'm very grateful it did.


Outside Raspail, where we took classes. July 29 2008.
Countries represented in this group of friends: Puerto Rico, Spain, Serbia, Italy, Brazil, Colombia, Belgium, Mexico and Jerusalem.

My last night, I decided not to stay at Cité Universitaire with the girls and spent some time with my new friends, or as we like to refer to ourselves as "The Internationals". After finding a Spasnish bar closed we decided to hop over to the Eifel Tower. It was a great time, finding myself singing Puerto Rico's national anthem and listening to other songs from their countries. We them spent about 2 hours looking for the right bus stops, but I didn't care, my last night in Paris was the perfect night to end such a wonderful experience.