As I woke up this morning, beginning my second week in Paris I couldn’t help but notice the special glow about the city today. After a long week of never ending rain and chilly temperatures the sun was finally out and shining bright. Finally, sunshine just in time for us to explore the magical Luxembourg Gardens. Eager to see what the day was to bring we headed over to the metro stop then walked over to the gardens which would act as our classroom for the day. How lucky were we?   I noticed this morning on the metro, the streets, in the bakeries and all over the city something was different about the people this morning. It was almost as if the sun was shining and so were the people, a new sense of vibrancy and peace was radiating from all over illuminating the streets. We gathered in the center of the gardens to begin our discussion about all of our adventures we have embarked on this week. Ernest Hemingways the Sun Also Rises, A moveable and Paris Bookseller were major literary works highlighted in many of daily adventures. Each students interpretation of the text was unique as it symbolized something different to everyone. We discussed all the remarkable writers and key influential figures such as Marie Antoinette and Josephine Baker who’ve helped shape Paris into the city is it known as today. Being in the gardens discussing these writers life stories knowing we are sitting where it all began was a feeling like no other, one that will stick forever.

We were quickly distracted and our discussion was diverted to the groups of gardeners filling the garden next to us with buckets of flowers and gardening tools. Now that the sun was shining it was time for the gardens to be refreshed for summer. As the gardeners started planting they had this sort of serene look to them, it was It was inspiring to see how much care and admiration went into everything they were doing. This shifted our conversation from the writers of the 1920s also known as the Lost Generation to sharing our most favorite things about Paris thus far. We enjoyed comparing and contrasting the rich culture of Paris to that of the United States. It was fascinating to hear all the different things we all have noticed since being here. But amongst the group this morning was a newfound appreciation or immense self-discovery as we sat in the breathtaking gardens. It finally hit me how lucky we were to have an opportunity to not only explore the inspiring city of light but to explore oneself. Each student felt as if living in this city for almost two weeks has taught them a greater understanding of many aspects of life or opened us up to a new perspective. Once the lecture wrapped up we were not only thrilled to explore the gardens but to relax and take it all in. Up to this point we had been on the move each day walking miles and miles, dodging the rain and racing to the metro station. This day we had time to sit down and take it all in. Once our discussion for the day concluded we were eager to fulfill our cravings of home by finding iced coffee which is a rare occurrence in Paris, but we found a yummy cafe right outside the gardens. After we were finally able to successfully order speaking French only we headed back to the gardens with our iced coffee and ham sandwiches or in french “sandwich au jambon”, excited about our accomplishment. The gardens were magical this afternoon, we enjoyed our lunch taking in the peacefulness around us. We sat for hours and hours soaking up all the sun we could indulging in a book, listening to music and simply just people watching. We had some time to discuss our bucket list and plan our adventures for our last few days in this incredible place.

Later that night we headed to the Sacré Coeur on the metro to catch a sunset glimpse of the best view of Paris. It was nothing short of the high expectations I had, this was something I had been waiting for ever since the second day when we saw the incredible cathedral. I was so excited to come back and see this view as the sun went down. The streets were lively; full of street performers and people of all ages and origins gathered to enjoy the breathtaking view. Although this day was not nearly as busy or chaotic as the rest it was the perfect opportunity to slow down for a moment and take in all that the city of light has offered us thus far in our journey. The stairs up are steep and there are many but once at the top it was all worth it, as soon as you turn the corner and see a view seen from no other spot in Paris you are truly taken aback. It provides a view of the whole city as massive as it is; the view from the top makes it seem all so small with either neighborhood filled with its very own unique vibrancy and enriched with culture. This day for me holds so many memories. From accidentally taking the wrong metro stop to being denied entry into the cathedral because we did not fit the dress code as we were not wearing jackets we learned so much about this city and unveiled the rich culture through our mistakes. Just like that another memorable day in the city of light came to an end!