First Impressions

During my first week in Paris I have been trying to adjust to the big city way of life. Growing up in Oklahoma City and living in Boulder for the past four years, I haven't had much experience actually living in a large crowded city like this. There are things I can really appreciate about it and other things that are hard to get used to. It's wonderful to be in a city with so much history and so many amazing places to go and sites to see. Paris makes me realize how young our cities in the United States are. The buildings are much older, and of course, there is evidence of its rich history all around. I've enjoyed seeing things like the Eiffel Tower, the Seine, the Louvre, and other well-known places here in Paris, but what I have found even more interesting is just watching and listening to its people. There seems to be more time for having a coffee, or sitting down with friends and a bottle of wine. I've noticed that at any time of the day, on any day of the week you will see people of all ages at the cafés relaxing, eating, drinking, talking etc. This comes as a surprise to an American because my first question was: don't these people work? So, I can really appreciate this aspect of Parisian culture. It's something that I hope to take home with me and remember.

I've found Parisians to be much more friendly than they are often made out to be. Most of the time when you hear about Parisians they are described as snobby or rude. However, for the most part, they have been really nice. Of course in a big city people behave differently than they do in smaller towns. They are less likely to look you in the eye, or smile at you. I've become more this way too since I've been here. Walking from place to place you generally want to get there quickly and it becomes important not to make eye contact with everyone on the street or else you will spend lots of time dealing with people who just want your money.

It's only been one week and I already feel that I've gained a new perspective both on Paris and also on my own hometown and its culture. In the past when I traveled to Europe I only spent a few days in each city and was so rushed to see the sites that I didn't a chance to relax and soak up what the place is really about. I've experienced more in the past week than I thought I would and I'm looking forward to how I will learn and grow as a person over the next few weeks.