paris

Today I've made a (link-reveal: "decision.") [ A life changing decision. A decision to travel abroad.] [[Paris->2]]

I've always wanted to learn to (link-reveal: "speak french.") [ My mother is fluent in French. I've take lessons since I can remember. My grandfather immigrated from France to America after the war. I wanted to honor my heritage and experience life in such a fast pace city.] Live in (link-reveal: "a city.") [ The city of love.] Experience the (link-reveal: "lifestyle.") [ So very different from my life in Hawaii. I've been so lucky to call this place my home, but it's time for a new adventure!] [[Let's Begin->3]]

Getting on the plane was incredibly (link-reveal: "difficult.") [ Many of my friends had already left for college and I was one of the last ones to leave. I was lucky enough to have my friends who were still on island come and see me off with my family.] I remember walking through (link-reveal: "security") [ balling my eyes out waving goodbye to my parents as I walked through the Daniel K. Inouye Airport security. As I passed by the security guard he asked me if I was okay as I was crying profusely, and I responded very quietly that I was just moving away to college by myself.] I was moving to a fogeign country by myself without my parents. (link-reveal: "Travelling 48 hours to Paris.") [ One of the worst flying experiences ever. It took me two whole days to get to Paris and I had a 10 hour layover in Washington DC.] Moving into my apartment by myself. Everything was by myself [[I was terrified->4]]

But I was also excited for the new experience, to meet new people, and to live in a wonderful [[new city->5]]

I quickly became best friends with my (link-reveal: "roommate.") [ You know, after I fell asleep on her shoulder during orientation...] I was lucky, we just really clicked I began school and made friends with people from all over the world. AUP has many different programs for colleges (link-reveal: "other than USC.") [ Programs for Tulane, Cornell, George Washington, and more.] I loved my quaint little apartment (link-reveal: "in the 16th.") [ 5 rue Bosio.] There was a coccinelle and a boulangerie right (link-reveal: "right underneath me.") [ I ate all the pains aux chocolats, tartlettes aux framboise, and baguettes I could.] It was incredible. I could do anything and everything. I could go anywhere in the city whenever I wanted. Eat whatever I wanted, (link-reveal: "buy whatever I wanted.") [ I could buy alcohol if I wanted, tobacco too. It was such a weird phenomenon. Smoking was so normal. I couldn't ever walk on the street anywhere without seeing someone smoking. I mean the cafe in our school had an outdoor smoking area where students would smoke with their professors. It was a huge culture shock for me.] It was not your (link-reveal: "normal college experience at all.") [ I was able to travel all over the world. I visited multiple countries, places I never thought I would ever go to. Places I dreamed of going to, but never thought I'd get to go to.] How could it be normal? I was living in [[another country.->6]]

Although I did not pick up a smoking habit which I am forever grateful for, I did fall in love with wine. Rosé became (link-reveal: "my go to") [ and my roommate and I would have a glass whenever we could. I loved just being able to get a bottle of wine, sit underneath the eiffel tower at night, and watch it sparkle. It was incredible.] During orientation the school sponsored a beer boat party to meet all the (link-reveal: "incoming freshman.") [ On the beer boat I met lots of people, and my roommate and I ended up meeting two amazing girls who became our friends. They're both going to George Washington University. <style> img { max-width: 100%; max-height: 100%; } </style> <img src=https://i.postimg.cc/SsW4Rxyd/IMG-8610.jpg> </div> </style> ] Prior to school starting was a whirlwind. Trying to balance my new lifestyle and learn how to navigate the city was a fun experience. But alas, [[school started.->7]]

School started and it was just like (link-reveal: "you'd expect.") [ Slow, just like school always is.] During one of the first weeks of school me and my friends decided to go to a (link-reveal: "popular club.") [ The most basic club. The one we all hated by the end of our time abroad: Le Duplex.] It was the worst line I ever stood in for a club. People were pushing and shoving and getting angry, but we met two guys who went to (link-reveal: "the same college as us.") [ They were really nice and we all spent the rest of the night dancing together. The next day they invited us to go to a bar with their friends that night, and then somehow we agreed to go to Amsterdam with a bunch of strangers.] The night was good. We danced until we were dripping in (link-reveal: "sweat") [ and left feeling the way you always do from duplex: disappointed knowing you'll be going back sometime soon.] [[Amsterdam->8]]

The next weekend (link-reveal: "my roommate") [ (I should probably tell you her name at this point, it's Day)] and I took our impromptu trip to Amsterdam for the weekend. We left on Saturday morning and came back Sunday evening. We took the train there and back. Amsterdam was unlike any place I'd ever been before. The streets were made of what looked like cobblestone, and were very narrow following the canal that (link-reveal: "flows throughout the city.") [ Of course we rode a boat along the canal. Which you'd think would be super incredible, it was nice, but half of our group fell asleep on the boat.] Our Air bnb was a cute little apartment overlooking the streets of the city. The trip itself was eyeopening and I had never seen [[a city->9]] like Amsterdam before.

Everything became (link-reveal: "normal.") [ Wake up. Get ready. Leave my apartment. Stop at the boulangerie by my metro stop. Grab a pain au chocolat or a croque monsieur (if I was really hungry). Take line 9 from Michel-Ange Auteuil to Alma-Marceau. Line 9 was super busy during rush hour so it could get really squished. Cross the Pont de l'Alma bridge from the 16th to the 15th and walk to french class. Meet Day after class. Get lunch. Go to philosophy. Go to psych class. Maybe stay at the library. Walk back across the bridge to the metro. Take line 9 back home. Rest. Repeat.] There was a schedule to life. I had habits. I felt like I was really (link-reveal: "living in Paris") [ and I was LIVING in Paris. The weekends were my favorite. My friends and I would have so much fun going to bars and clubs then waking up the next day, rallying, and if we were feeling up to it going somewhere fun and experiencing the city. <style> img { max-width: 100%; max-height: 100%; } </style> <img src=https://i.postimg.cc/156r8t4h/pic1.jpg> </div> </style> 1 am Sunday <img src=https://i.postimg.cc/3RmtMX6N/IMG-5165.jpg> </div> 2pm Sunday] [[A new adventure->10]]

Now the first time I went to Italy I went on a (link-reveal: "school trip") [ with an Italian class, but there were others who weren't in the class like me. The professor was kind of mean, but the trip was fun. Her husband (the other chaperone) was okay; he didn't do much. All he did was talk about politics because I mean he did write, "World War Trump".] I signed up for a culture trip to Florence, Pisa, and Luca. It was (link-reveal: "incredible.") [ All I did for 4 days was eat pasta and gelato. I got to meet new people and I hadn't been to Italy since I was a kid. I was obsessed with Vesuvius and Pompeii at the time and we spent most of that trip in Rome. This was a new city for me. Florence was gorgeous.] Can't forget when at a club on the first night one guy in our group got his fanny pack stolen which had his passport and (link-reveal: "wallet in it.") [ Oh, and then he tried to blame us for, "leaving him, and not helping him look," when we were standing in line for the bathroom for 40 minutes and when we finished he was gone.] We did climb a lot of (link-reveal: "towers.") [ Obviously the leaning tower of Pisa, <style> img { max-width: 100%; max-height: 100%; } </style> <img src=https://i.postimg.cc/SjFsnv8F/IMG-9160.jpg> </div> </style> but also the Piazza del Duomo, and another tower in Luca, but I forget what it was called.] I was very tired. But the trip was fun. Besides being stuck in a taxi between two guys scream fighting at each other, but that's another story. We explored the city. Ate pizza at a famous restaurant. Drank house wine, and had an absurd amount of espresso. Ate large hunks of burrata cheese and were very happy. [[Back to Paris->11]]

Back in Paris we went to visit Giverny. Day and I went to Giverny with our (link-reveal: "friends.") [ The town of Giverny was small and cute. The people were nice and we got to see some beautiful impressionist artwork.] This is where Claude Monet's house is. With his famous (link-reveal: "lily pond.") [ Where he painted his famous water lilies. It was gorgeous. This day trip inspired me to want to see his water lily paintings again, so the next day we went to Musée l'Orangerie where they have Monet's water lilies.] And back to [[Italy->12]]

Now this time I went with my friends. And we went to Capri and the Amalfi Coast. The weather was (link-reveal: "perfect.") [ I missed Hawaii weather so bad. I was freezing in Paris because I hate the cold. I was finally able to wear shorts again.] We were able to get a really good deal on a boat that took us around the island of (link-reveal: "Capri.") [ It was incredible. Capri was gorgeous. It felt like I was living in a movie lying on the boat staring out into the crisp deep blue water.] We got to swim which I hadn't done in months. The water was crisp just like (link-reveal: "I remembered it was.") [ <style> img { max-width: 100%; max-height: 100%; } </style> <img src=https://i.postimg.cc/2yvsYVkg/IMG-1313.jpg> </div> </style>] There's a part of Capri called Anacapri where there's a chair lift that takes you to the top of the mountain. Each lift is just for one person and you get to ride up the lift over the side of Capri and look out over the (link-reveal: "whole island.") [ I could see the ocean where we just were, the gorgeous houses along the pier, and of course the chair lift itself was so cool. I felt like I was flying.] [[Capri was crazy->13]]

The last day of our trip we decided to go to a really cool garden we'd seen online. It was on the other side of the island, the part we hadn't explored yet. We were just walking around and exploring when we found a little downwards hike that went down to a small rocky area with a restaurant on the pier (that was closed). It was gorgeous. Then (link-reveal: "shit hit the fan.") [ The whole time on our trip the weather forecast said it was supposed to rain. We were really sad before we left because we thought our sunny beach trip was going to turn into a gloomy rainy trip. Luckily, it didn't start raining until the last day. After we decided to hike down to the rocks we took some really cool pictures. In the back you can actually see the sorm literally moving towards us. And then, it started pouring rain. We were running back up, but this hike was actually more of a stairwell hike, and as we were running back up the stairs the water was flooding down it. In the end, all of us were soaking wet. I was wearing a dress which was not the best option for frantically running up stairs in the rain, and all of our shoes were filled with water. But to be honest I'd say it was worth it. <style> img { max-width: 100%; max-height: 100%; } </style> <img src=https://i.postimg.cc/PrNStFfV/B7-BFA85-E-2858-4-F23-8825-070-C96-B67-EC7.jpg> </div> </style> The calm before the storm...] The next day we took a ferry back, and drove up to the Amalfi coast where we spent a night Then back to [[Paris->14]]

I can't lie, life was great. I was having the time of my life. Next stop was [[Greece->15]]

Since before I can remember Greece has been one of my (link-reveal: "dream desinations.") [ I always thought because I lived in Hawaii, and everything's so far away from Hawaii that going to Greece would be impossible at this time in my life.] This trip was one for the books. It exceeded every expectation that I had and was definitely one of my favorite trips. We took this trip for our (link-reveal: "Armistice break,") [ a french holiday.] And it was just me and my boyfriend. We went to Athens and then took a ferry to Santorini. I'd always wanted to see the beautiful white houses and buildings along the sides of the mountains that make Santorini what it is. I'd always seen (link-reveal: "pictures") [ <style> img { max-width: 100%; max-height: 100%; } </style> <img src=https://i.postimg.cc/nckrJ590/IMG-6503.jpg> </div> </style> <style> img { max-width: 100%; max-height: 100%; } </style> <img src=https://i.postimg.cc/Y2zyffmJ/633-A04-B1-B98-D-44-BB-80-CD-18719-E9-DFD93.jpg> </div> </style> I felt like I was living in a postcard] I've always thought that Greek mythology is very (link-reveal: "intersting.") [ I'm not super religious, but I like the idea of polytheism, and I admire how the Greeks worshiped their Gods.] We got to hike up to the Parthenon which was one of the coolest pieces of old architecture I've ever seen. Riding the ferry back to Athens was like the apocalypse. We were the last stop before Athens, so there were already many people (link-reveal: "on the ferry.") [ It was 5am when we boarded and people were lying on the actual floor sleeping (not even in the chairs). We almost couldn't find a place to sit. It was so packed. It was nothing like the first ferry we took to Santorini.] The trip was incredible and everything I'd dreamed of. I am forever grateful for that [[experience->16]]

Then came the hardest two days of the (link-reveal: "semester.") [ For some reason two of my professors decided to have papers due the day we got back, and the day after we got back from break. Of course I procrastinated because I was in Greece!] I think I slept a total of 4 hours in that (link-reveal: "48 hour period,") [ and those were just naps.] Once they were finally done and I submitted both papers I could finally [[breathe->17]]

Then two of my best friends from highschool came to (link-reveal: "visit me") [ for Thanksgiving.] One goes to Tufts in Boston and the other goes to Northeastern University, but like me she was doing a semester abroad, but in London. It was like a breath of fresh air. I hadn't seen them since summer and it was really nice to have so many people who I loved around me. It was an incredible weekend. Two of my college friends had their birthdays so we spend most of the weekend getting (link-reveal: "wine drunk") [ (we went to this fondue place that had all you can drink wine. It became one of our favorite places to eat. The fondue was so good!),] or going to (link-reveal: "the club.") [ We ended up going to this really cool club that is basically an aquarium with fish floating around you while you're dancing!] I took them sightseeing to all of my favorite places, and because Christmas was coming up we get to see the hanging Christmas tree in (link-reveal: "Galeries Lafayette.") [ <style> img { max-width: 100%; max-height: 100%; } </style> <img src=https://i.postimg.cc/FRzx7P8Q/IMG-0071.jpg> </div> </style>] And then we said goodbye :( But I was going to see them in a [[month->18]] at home!

I love the metro. Ask anyone who knows me and they'll tell you (link-reveal: "I STAN the metro.") [ I am the metro's biggest fan.] I mean it's just such a good deal. You pay 80 euros a month to ride the metro which seems expensive, but when you think about it, one ticket is 2 euros and I would ride the metro everyday at least (link-reveal: "2 times a day") [ to and from school, but usally I would ride it 5 times a day or more.] It was one of the greatest investments I've made. But of course this was when they decided to go on (link-reveal: "strike.") [ The metro always goes on strike for little increments; like a weekend or for a couple days.] But this was hyping up to be the worst metro strike since (link-reveal: "1995.") [ Half of my teachers were spouting stories about how when they were in college in Paris the strike happened and the government had to commandeer the bateaux mouches boats for people to ride to school. Crazy! They literally took the bateaux mouches along the seine to get to school.] I was devastated especially since this was my last month in Paris. The strike was set to start on December 5th and no one knew when (link-reveal: "it would end.") [ They were only going to end if their union got what they wanted.] And there were a lot of [[protests.->19]]

Parisians do love a good protest. And they are not calm about it. The (link-reveal: "gilet jaunes") [, or yellow vests,] are hard core. The one day I decide that I want to (link-reveal: "visit my Aunt and Uncle") [ (it's a journey because they live really far away from where I live)] was the one year anniversary of the gilet jaunes first protest, and of course they decided they would protest at Place d'Italie where my Aunt and Uncle live. When I tell you Parisians love a good protest, I mean it. They are (link-reveal: "violent.") [ There were people running around everywhere. Hundreds of cops trying to maintain the crowds. Fires blazing left and right. Holes in all of the glass windows and shops around the main area. Teargas being thrown every second. I was trying to walk across the street when a random man just decided to run (directly in front of me) into the barricaded area while 15 cops ran after him.] It was [[insane->20]]

School started changing when finals were, and allowing us to go home and leave Paris (link-reveal: "early.") [ In Paris most people lived pretty far away from school, so being expected to get to school everyday for class would have just been stupid.] A lot of my friends were planning to fly home early and just take all of their finals in their home countries. I decided to stay in Paris with Day because I had a presentation that I had to do 4 days before the day I booked my ticket home, so it didn't make sense to leave. But before everyone started leaving we wanted to go on [[one last trip->21]]

Right before the metro strike began I went on my (link-reveal: "last trip.") [ I had been hoping to go on one other trip, but because of the metro strike it was hard to go anywhere.] We went to (link-reveal: "London.") [ I'd never been to London before, and I felt like if I didn't go while I was abroad in Europe I would be considered a fraud.] The trip was so fun. It was a girls trip with our friends from GW. London was beautiful, and in general Europe is so good at celebrating holidays (not only London, but Paris is too,) so there were lots of Christmas Markets! We met up with one of my best friends from (link-reveal: "home.") [ The one who visited me for Thanksgiving who was also abroad.] She took us to some fun places and gave us recommendations on where to go in the city. I got to walk on the (link-reveal: "London bridge,") [ <style> img { max-width: 100%; max-height: 100%; } </style> <img src=https://i.postimg.cc/FHhvxfhZ/IMG-6357.jpg> </div> </style>] saw the crown jewels, saw Big Ben, and of course got lost on the tube with (link-reveal: "no service.") [ I just want to put this here: the metro is superior to the tube... I could go on and on about the metro like you would not believe.] We also stayed in a hostel. Staying in a hostel actually didn't end up being very bad. We were in a good location near the Borough Market, so we just walked there in the mornings to grab breakfast. This trip was the last time I saw my two GW friends because immediately after we got back to Paris one of them [[flew home.->22]]

Coming back to Paris was intersting. We came back on the day the metro strike (link-reveal: "began.") [ It was sad not being able to use the metro. I couldn't go wherever I wanted like I could before. And I realized that the freedom I felt when exploring the city came from the metro. Having the freedom to go anywhere, anyplace, any time.] Without the metro I really (link-reveal: "couldn't go anywhere.") [ If I wanted to go somewhere I would have the walk there or call an uber. And uber rates were skyrocketing because of the strike.] Walking to school was no fun because it took a little over an hour and the walk was uphill. It was one of the weirdest months in [[Paris.->23]] Everyone was going home early. Everyone was leaving.

Paris. My home for 4 months. Some of my favorite memories are from my time abroad. Looking back on my experience I can't help but be grateful. I was so incredibly lucky to have gotten to experience something like this. It was scary at first. Moving to another country on my own. Living with complete strangers. But it was the best decision I could have ever made. I made some amazing friends. People who make me happier than I could ever be. Words cannot express how amazing this experience was. I've never seen myself as someone who wanted to travel the world, but now all I want to do is travel. I hope to be back in Paris one day. [[My semester abroad->24]]

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Today I've made a

decision.

Paris