One year ago today was my last full day in France. Thinking about it right now makes me smile, but it also makes me nostalgic and sad, because my four months in Europe were so beautiful. When I close my eyes I can still trace the 27-minute walk from my studio to school: The wide shiny boulevard of Place d’Erlon, the narrow side streets with crumbly stone buildings and bright shutters, the hot sugary scent of baking treats unfurling from…
It might not seem that way from my illustrious travels, but I actually was in school during my time in France. I spent the rest of November and beginning of December studying, which could be difficult considering my my mild distaste of various aspects of Sciences Po University. But by virtue of living in the champagne region, this time was interrupted here and there by glasses of chilled bubbly. Sciences Po threw a James-Bond themed “Sky Ball” at a champagne…
I’ve been living in Reims, France for the past month! The economic champagne capital of the world, it’s a charming city 45 minutes-by-train from Paris, set in the rolling green vineyards of Champagne. The spirit of bubbly infuses the city– even the faces of the colorful trams are shaped like champagne flutes! It feels rather glamorous to drink that sparkling golden liquid in the Unesco-World-Heritage-listed region where it was made. And yes: I fully intend on becoming a champagne snob…
I’m studying at Sciences Po University in Reims, France for the fall semester, which is wild because I’ve wanted to live in France ever since I was a little girl. I’ve always been whimsical, and France– with its sweet language, its chocolate and cheese, its charming villages soaked in history and elaborate architecture, its chic cities and amazing art– has always drawn me. I want to speak fluent French; it is a beautiful and melodic language that I love. It…