#au pair in france

(from top to bottom: Sainte Chapelle, Palais Garnier, & Galeries Lafayette)

There was a small moment when I let the negative sides of this city get me down. The gloomy winter, the smelly metro, and an unfortunately high number of homeless people. Things that should be addressed when painting an overall picture of what this city really is and recognize that it’s not without its faults, but not to let yourself get jaded when there is also so much extraordinary beauty that Paris has to offer. When I look around at all the incredible detail on almost every single building, I think about how much time and care has gone in to the architectural beauty of this place. Every corner turns to another work of art.
When someone tells me that they visited Paris and didn’t care for it, or had a negative experience, it truly makes me sad. Sure, everyone is different and has their own preferences and sees things from their own perspective. But I just don’t know how you could visit something like Sainte-Chapelle and be anything less than blown away. Or how you can live in a place like this for most of your life and not take advantage of just how much there is to do.
Living abroad is such a unique experience to see a place with a totally fresh perspective. As a local foreigner. A temporary resident with an expiration date on our experiences. Parisians tell me all the time that I know this city even better than them, but I try to use these opportunities to encourage them to correct that. If someone who has lived in your city for a mere 7 months has seen more than you have in your whole life, use that realization to get out and explore! I know life has a tendency of getting in the way, but its never too late to start.