Puupy Dog(PD),a student of mine from Edinburgh, invited me to come and stay with him and his friend in Paris. At first, I wasn't sure whether to accept the invitation but after much discussion about my past experiences of visiting students and reassurance from PD, I decided to take the risk and go. Besides, it soundsd much better than being alone and miserable in dreary Glasgow.
I arrived in Paris with much trepidation. I was thinking that my stay was too long and I would end up having an awful time. I began to feel really stressed and panicked. Luckily, I was mistaken.
After dropping off our bags at Zen man's flat, we went and had dinner at a wee restaurant and had a few drinks at the bar. By the time we got back to the flat, the long day(I had left Glasgow at 330am) had taken its toll and after a few more drinks I was out in a flash.
Although I have visted Paris many times, I have never done all the trashy touristy things like walk up the Eiffel Tower, go on the Bateau Mouche along the Seine, hop on the red bus taking endless photos of the Parisian landscape. So before I left, I had a list of things I wanted to do and see in Paris and I figured the most logical place to start would be by going to the Eiffel tower first.
On my way, I found myself hypnotised by Paris and ended up wondering around for hours instead. By the time I finally reached my destination , it was time for me to go and meet A, a friend from Sydney who happened to be in Paris at the same time. I am just such a crap tourist!
Met up with A and we were taken on a walking tour by a friend of his. Once again, Paris overwhelmed me and I was beginning to relax. My time with A was short but sweet. It's always good to catch up with friends even if it's only for a couple of hours.
That evening another friend of PD, Curly Wurly,joined us at the flat. Puppy Dog cooked for us and we sat around drinking wine and talking about this and that. This was also when I realised how rusty my French was! It was so frustrating to realise how much I had forgotten and how difficult it was to express myself. I could also hear that my accent had slipped quite considerably.(note to self
ractise french!)
It was my second last day in France and we were going to stay with Puppy's friends in the countryside about an hour away from Paris. We all hopped on a train and went along and once again, I was welcomed with open arms and felt comfortable. So much so I decided to change my ticket and stay longer.(Unheard of!, I'm always itching to get back!)
The next night, all his friends came over for dinner and after consuming copious amounts of cheese and wine, I became more confident with my French and stayed up all night chatting away in Franglish.
If there's anyone out there who still believes in the streotype, "the Fros are arrogant", I can assure you, they're one of the most friendly bunch I have ever met in my life. They welcomed a stranger (i.e.me) into their homes and made me feel so comfortable I felt like I had known them my whole life. New friends were made and I feel confident that I would remain friends with them, especially the three musketeers, Puppy Dog, Zen Man and Curly Wurly.
We came back to Paris on Saturday and I spent the weekend chilling out with Curly. When it was time for me to leave, I didn't want to leave.(Besides, I hadn't actually done anything on the list!!!!) But all good things must come to an end and with much regret I left Paris once more, promising myself I'd return very soon with my list.
I thank them all from the bottome of my heart for an unforgettable week. I was actually happy for the first time in a while and it has made me want to get my act together and try to get a job over there.
A bientot Paris!
