It's been a while since I scrolled through the photos on my phone, so it's time for another photo dump. Some of these are from a while ago! (Most are from Instagram.) Here's what we've been up to since, um, April:
Paris
Say what?
After being away from France for so long, my brain is having a hard time getting used to hearing and speaking French again. On my best days, my proficiency level could probably be described as "older toddler," and these certainly aren't my best days. (My twin niece and nephew are two, and I often think … Continue reading Say what?
Sur La Tour Eiffel
The biggest challenge with having visitors in Paris is tempering their expectations, because there’s never enough time to see everything they want to. On one tour I went on with my mom, the guide told us she’d moved here from Mississippi decades ago, and her family continues to ask when she’s coming home. “When I … Continue reading Sur La Tour Eiffel
By the numbers
Hey guys! Hello! Hello? ... Anyone still there? I never intended to take such a long break from blogging, but I guess that's what happens when you work sunrise-to-sunset as a field assistant for three weeks, then your mom falls in love with Paris and decides she's going to move in with you forever but … Continue reading By the numbers
Catching lizards and catching up
What a whirlwind the last month has been! As I alluded to earlier, my mom has the stamina of a marathoner when it comes to sightseeing, so we crammed about four weeks' worth of touring into two, and with all the back-and-forth to Greece, I've now been to the airport five times in the last … Continue reading Catching lizards and catching up
Reptilian invasion
After three weeks of full-time lizard catching, I'm now seeing little lizards everywhere... including at the Louvre. I was extra pleased to see that this young herpetologist-in-training is female. 1822 must have been a good year for gender equality. Unfortunately the lizard she's holding is dead, but I like to think she's gazing at it … Continue reading Reptilian invasion
Touristing around
Ever since my mom landed in Paris, we've been running around trying to see and do all of the things. Well, not all - that would take at least two lifetimes - but several big-ticket-must-sees plus some of my favorite off-the-beaten-path places. And we're not the only ones! Since I left in early May, the … Continue reading Touristing around
Fête du Muguet
Happy belated Fête du Muguet! In addition to being France's Labor Day, May 1st is also Fête du Muguet, or Lily of the Valley Day, when people give small bouquets of Lily of the Valley to friends and family to show their love and appreciation and to wish them bonne chance for the year ahead. I love this! As … Continue reading Fête du Muguet
House tour
Bienvenue chez nous! When people hear that I've moved to France, their first question is usually whether I speak French (un peu). Their second question is where I'm living (le Marais). But once they hear that this dream life comes with an 18-square-meter apartment, their reaction usually shifts to laughter, horror, or both. Even the Europeans … Continue reading House tour
Mirror, mirror, on the wall
Most of the French I encounter on a daily basis is a little over my head, but this sweet sentiment truly was. "Mais oui, tu es belle!," the mirror reads. ("But yes, you are beautiful!") Non—I think it should say "mais oui, tu es petite!" instead.
Practice Makes Parfait 