Paris in Spring

I unfortunately haven't many photos of Paris in the springtime, but hopefully these will suffice.

So a couple of things:

1. I'm out of a homestay and into an international dorm called La Fondation des Etats Unis or as we fondly (ha pun) call it: "the fond." It's easier to get around in Paris since I don't live in the boonies anymore, and I'm actually speaking French MORE here than I did with my homestay last quarter. The people here are fantastic and I knew that I would enjoy living with students again much more than a Parisian family.

2. I'm also able to cook a lot. I have an internship every Monday and Wednesday with a 2 hour lunch break in between, so I just walk home and cook! Lots of dinner parties and fun times have been had. Fondue, salmon en papillote, pasta carbonara, etc. --Especially since this new Spring quarter group includes so many of my good friends already as well as some really fantastic new ones!

3. I love friends. This may seem pompous, but I also really love Stanford friends because we could be tanning in the park but having a conversation about gender norms or equally be engaged in a conversation about the comical hangover blues.

4. Weather is much better, but not as great as I had hoped/expected. It's been rainy and grey and cold a lot of the time with a couple of days here and there of glorious sun and warmth.

5. I'm enjoying academic life a lot more this quarter, too. My internship has provided so many opportunities for me to connect with NGO's, non-profit orgs, governmental debates, etc. I feel like I'm getting a pretty good sense of what I may want to do with my life as well as the complexities of the issues at hand. The visiting professor, Julie Parsonnet is teaching a class on the history of epidemics. It's super interdisciplinary and engaging! We even get to watch movies at her apartment every week that have to do with the disease we are studying!

So yay for Spring quarter! It's strange knowing that I'm leaving in less than a month because I can't imagine leaving Paris, but there's also a part of me that is extremely excited for a summer back in San Francisco :)