Paris

My absolute favorite place in the world : Paris, France. I have been to Paris 4 times in my life and for that I am forever grateful. The moment I stepped of the plane only 13 years old, I knew this place would forever hold a special place in my heart. At the time, I spoke French at an embarrassingly low proficiencey level. When I heard all of these people speaking such a beautiful language I fell in love. I had such drive and ambition to learn French and can now say that after four years, I have fine tuned my skills and am almost speaking fluently. The Eiffel Tower is obviously beautiful, but for me France is more than just the beautiful landmarks and unique cuisine. For me, France is about the culture and the people that I have met there. Something about France is so desirable for me, the lifestyle is so different and less complex than the life I am living in the United States. Students in France for example, can leave their schools at lunch time and return to their homes or go to the cafe for a drink with their friends. School in France also commences much later and most French people were shocked by my 5:30 wake up call (on school days only). I met my best friend in France Camille Chantoiseau (her last name literally means singing bird). Camille and I have spent our last 3 summers together changing from continent to continent in each of our homes. She has become part of my family and her mother now calls me her “fille francaise” or her French Daughter. France has given me more than I ever could have imagined, and I am eager to eventually spend a long period of my life living in the place that I will always call home.