What I Love About Paris

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Falling in Love With My Not So Perfect City

Ok so last week I complained about Paris. But I really do love the city. I love the city ten times more than I hate it. And I could imagine spending a few more years here, if I got a bigger apartment and a better job. But I won't make that decision just yet. As of right now, I am enjoying being young and in love with the city that I live in. Who needs a boyfriend when you live next to a bakery, not me! Here are the top ten things that I love about Paris.
10. The location of my apartment: I love the location of my apartment. It is always well lit in in the area at night, and during the daytime it is a great shopping area. I love that I look out to a park and can see a lot of trees. I love love love that I can see the Eiffel Tower from my room and that its only a 20 minute walk to see it. And I love that I am right next to the metro for when I need to go somewhere far.

9. The lack of skyscrapers: yes Paris has some huge buildings, but those are the outskirts. I never feel claustrophobic or that I am in this huge city like New York or San Francisco because of the height restrictions on the buildings. I never feel like I am trapped because there is just enough space everywhere I go.

8. I don't need a car: transportation here is so good, I don't every worry about not having a car. I can go wherever I want to, when I want to. No reservations needed, unless it's international, and I can have my own adventure. I do miss my car and driving, but I don't need it here!

7. The value of money: money is thought of differently here. Instead of having large bank accounts, people live paycheck to paycheck. They would rather have a few very nice items of clothing than an exploding closet. They would rather spend their money to hang out with people after work or to go on vacations than to save it up. Yes Paris is a very rich city, and some people may make you feel lesser, but the majority don't base their life on how much money that they have saved up. They live in the now.

6. The people: ok so I'm not making friends with Parisians, they just have a wall around them that I can't break through. But I am making friends with some pretty awesome people. All of us are expats and we each have our own unique story to tell. I have to say that it is pretty amazing hearing their stories and making friends with people from all over the world.



5. How close everything is: Paris is a big city, don't get me wrong. It's always packed with people and there are so many things to do and see. But it is still small. I could walk for an hour and make up a lot of ground. I don't need to worry about always having to take the metro to get somewhere, if I'm not pressed for time, I can easily walk to my destination, it just may take some time. Everything is so close, making this a very attainable city for sight seeing.

4. I feel safe: I never thought that I would feel safe living in a big city. I am a small town kind of girl. Big cities were never going to happen. But Paris managed to sneak in there. I feel safe walking home in the dark. Of course I'm not walking in any dark alleys, but I'm not worried about being mugged or someone following me home. I feel safe here.

3. The price of food: everything in France is expensive, except for food. And I'm referring to grocery store food, not restaurant food. Fresh produce is so much cheaper here, probably because eating what's in season is a lot more important. But sometimes it's cheaper for me to buy fresh pasta instead of the dried stuff, and of course I love that. While I'm breaking the bank for so much, I really am not when it comes to food.

2. That there is so much: I am currently working on a list of everything that I need to see in Paris and lets just say that it is a very long list. I'm here for a year and this city has so much culture and so much to do, I am constantly busy. Never a dull moment in this city. Even when things are closed on Sundays.



1. The city at night: I love walking around the city at night. I don't do it that often because I'm usually exhausted from work, but when I get the opportunity, I really love seeing the Eiffel Tower sparkle or just the streets light up. I now know why they call it the city of light.