A Bittersweet Farewell

Well, my time in France is painfully coming to an end. As I've looked back on my amazing experience here this summer, I have nothing but gratitude for the diverse group of friends I have made here, young and old, all different nationalities, all walks of life.

A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to accompany a group of elderly people out to Morainvilliers to a beautiful house in the countryside. We spent the afternoon laughing and talking and singing together, and I truly felt as if these people, though at a different phase of life than me, were my dearest friends.

I had the opportunity to sing "Hallelujah" by Jeff Buckley to them, and it was a truly moving experience. Sharing my talents over the past couple of months has brought me so much joy. Though I can't always communicate perfectly in their language, I have been able to share my love for these wonderful elderly people in so many profound ways, be it service, singing, and even dancing ballet.

I have been amazed by countless stories of triumph, stories that you don't think of when you see the elderly in their lonely state. I met a woman who was the only woman in a philosophy class full of men at the Sorbonne. I met a woman who had been blind for nearly 50 years and had hardly ever relied on the help of another human being. I met a man who left his whole family behind in Algeria to make a better life for himself in France, who slaved and worked until he could make something of himself. I met a man who spoke five different languages, was an editor, and knew how to speak Hindi.

The people I was blessed to know have changed me forever, and though they might forget me even in between visits, I feel as if we are truly friends.

The beautiful Yvette. Blind nearly all of her life yet undeterred. 

And now a few final words on my home of the last eight weeks:

How am I going to tear myself from this beautiful dream? When will I ever lead a life like this again, sitting on a park bench with a view of the Eiffel Tower that could very well have come from a scene in Amelie?

I have loved in Paris, I have been loved in Paris. I loved Paris, and Paris loved me back. I wish I could wind my thoughts back down to the root of my love for this city, peer behind the curtain of where it all began.

Everything I have dreamed of in my life has almost disappointed me when it became my reality, but not Paris. It holds me captive at every turn, takes me down timeless alleyways and stonewalled lanes, shaded streets, loud streets, streets walked by the great and the nameless.

Did I choose Paris, or did Paris choose me? I feel like such a foreigner, and yet something tells me that I belong. I am not a tourist, I am an admirer. I am not here to amuse myself, prove that I was here. I make my mark in the quiet walks around an unfamiliarly familiar city.

I love the acid stained stones, chipping paint on benches. I love the sweaty, greasy grip on metro handles, upholstery that came from the 90s plastered to chairs grimed by numberless travelers.



I make my mark by loving what makes the monument. I love the smell of sweat and luxurious perfume trapped in the same hot metro car, spices that cling to the clothes of Algerians, Congolese, Chinese. I cringe on the garlic odor that clings to the chicly dressed French.

I'm warmed by smiling tourists and their selfie sticks in front of the Eiffel Tower, a reminder that I too sometimes am more preoccupied with getting the proof rather than indulging in my moment with the icon I have longed to filter through my own lenses.

What I say I say in solidarity with the dreamers and lovers of love: I love Paris. The cliché "Paris, je t'aime" rings in my ears, echoes when I walk on dusty cobblestone under a merciless sun. Paris, je t'aime. And yes, I do believe Paris loves me back.

 Catch you later, Paris. Au revoir. 

The Wonderland of Alsace

Well, I've been on yet another marvelous adventure! I love and adore Paris, but getting to see other regions of the country is always a special treat. This weekend we went out to visit Elder Riff in his homeland of Strasbourg, and oh my goodness gracious... I'm moving to Alsace!

We took an early train out to Strasbourg and enjoyed the most luscious scenery by the light of the sunrise. Elder Riff was at the station to greet us, and it was one fantastic reunion. We immediately settled in and watched Harry Potter 5 (I have no regrets), eating croissants and hot chocolate and enjoying the disgusting heat wave working its way over the whole country.

Elder Riff showed us his neighborhood, walking us through dry fields and abandoned playgrounds beautiful canals and bushes of delicious berries. It was so nice to relax and take in the beautiful architecture of the old wood and mortar homes, even though it was burning hot and my body felt like it would never dry off. There is a definite blending of German and French cultures, and to hear the Alsace accent was quite something else.

After a relaxing day we went into the city to see Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Strasbourg and enjoy at least 10 sheets of flammekueche. So delicious, but I got the most evil glowers when I referred to it as pizza. It's not pizza, it's tarte flambé, or flammekueche-whatever. My goodness, get it right.

Photo tour time!

We went to Strasbourg at the perfect time. This year they are celebrating the millenial anniversary of the Strasbourg cathedral. That's right, a thousand years since the foundation was laid! It's honestly crazy. For the event they had a magnificent light show on the surface of this enormous structure (the tallest Medieval structure ever built, FYI), which was absolutely spectacular and awe-inspiring.

The next day we met up with one of Elder Riff's gorgeous besties (yes, I definitely had a woman crush on her) and visited la montagne des singes. No really, this mountain in Kintzheim has a colony of monkeys living on it, and you can go and feed them popcorn and watch them prance around! It was fantastic.

Photo proof of my day with the singes:

Sweet singes...

Our happy singe family 

And my two favorite singes, right here.

After our singe mountain excursion we wound our way through gorgeous forests and vineyards to Kaysersberg, which (fun fact) mean's "Emperor's Mountain" in German. This place was straight out of a storybook, beautiful, colorful, and majestic at absolutely every turn. We spent the afternoon wandering into delightful bakeries and eating almond cookies and meringues. We also hiked up to an old castle where we could see the most perfect view of the village and the surrounding region. It was honestly one of the most moving, joyful days of my life, and I have every intention of returning to this wonderful place.

Photo tour take two:

Beauty and the Beast, IRL. 

Ridiculous. 

I'll stop with the photo overload, but you get the idea.
This place was amazing.

I cannot even begin to explain how sad I was to leave. I learned a great many things during my time in Alsace: 1) Paris is kind of overrated 2) Beauty and the Beast is real 3) Singes are ridiculously adorable 4) Elder Riff's mom was quite possibly the nicest woman on the planet (I felt so loved) and 5) I should have been born French.

As I rode the train home alone I reflected on all of the amazing experiences I have had here in France this summer. Every moment has been spiritually moving and fulfilling. I have grown a lot, faced significant challenges and language barriers, yet have made the most wonderful friends and acquaintances and seen some of the most magical places in the world. Riding into a glorious sunset with my Jane Eyre soundtrack playing, Marilyn Robinson's Lila in my lap, and a blur of towering greenery before me, I cannot help but feel the deepest gratitude for the beautiful life and opportunities that I have had and still have before me.