#rue crémieux

One of my favorite parts of paris is the abundance of adorable hidden streets like this. Of course places like the Eiffel Tower, Rue de Rivoli and Notre Dame are equally as beautiful in their own right.. but there is something magical about stumbling upon a completely deserted street covered in vines or beautiful architecture. This one is called Cour Damoye, located just off the busy area of Bastille. I’ve walked around this area countless times and only recently came across this street. 
Some other great places to check out are Rue Crémieux, and the many passages couverts (covered passages). 

A bit of what I’ve been up to, where my head is at currently, and what my general plans are for the near and far future.
I have now lived in France for about 10 months. I return to the States sometime at the end of July and I can’t believe how incredibly fast it’s creeping up on me. As of May 1st I have been a college graduate for exactly 1 year and I’m having trouble wrapping my brain around that fact. It seems like just yesterday I was planning my graduation party and I had all my loved ones helping me celebrate and wishing me good luck for my upcoming travels. I can’t deny that thinking about it makes me a bit emotional. Not sad, but just choked up at the reality that life moves so quickly and I’m seeing how important it is to embrace each moment.

Since moving to Europe I have visited 9 countries and countless more cities within France. I hope to make at least one more trip before I leave, but it will depend on time and funds. At the very least I plan to see a few more small towns in France. I have had such an amazing time seeing new places, opening my mind to new cultures, languages, and incredibly fun experiences. In the coming weeks I will continue to explore the bits of Paris that I have had yet to see, cuddle my lovely Parisian friends a little tighter as our time together comes to an end, as well as welcome one of my best friends to Paris next week (!!!!)

As for after Paris, this is where things get a little fuzzy. I have no definite plans yet, but here are what my ideas and ultimate goals are:
I know many of my family members would like to keep me close and would love to see me come back to Florida. I won’t say I will ~never~ move back to Florida, but I do not see it happening in the near future. Right now my main plan is to join my friends in Seattle. I have always loved the idea of living on the west coast and I know that having an established community and group of amazing people to share a house with would make the transition that much better. I have been looking at research assistant positions with the University of Washington, and even looking into possible programs there for pursing a masters degree. A few weeks ago I had a scheduled skype interview with the hiring managers in one of the research departments, however they had to cancel after realizing that their project was moving quicker than they expected and they couldn’t wait for my late return date. This was pretty disappointing, but it also gave me a much needed boost of confidence from the fact that they were even considering me at all. They knew I wouldn’t be returning for months, but were still highly interested in having me join their department. The hiring manager has encouraged me to keep checking for future opportunities with them, and at least now I have a direct job contact when I do arrive in Seattle or apply for other positions with them in the future. So I’m staying positive and seeing what else is out there.
Having a job lined up before I make a huge move like this would be the ultimate ideal situation, but I know realistically this may not happen and I may very well have a temporary rough transition period. Another huge reason why having friends in a new city will be extremely helpful. 

I’m really excited about starting my next big adventure after France. Weirdly it feels a lot scarier moving to a new state than moving to a totally new country. Being an au pair is (in my opinion) the ideal way to make such a huge move like this. I had every bit of security I could ever want: a loving family here to guide me in my times of need, an apartment and job already lined up, and a solid community of other au pairs that made initially making friends so much easier. Now I have to consider going back to ~adult~ life where rent, insurance, and student debt are going to drown me with responsibility.. but weirdly I’m not as stressed about it as I have been in previous years. I (hope) for the first time in my life these financial constraints won’t be quite as difficult since I will finally be able to work a full-time and well paying job (or at least better paying). I don’t expect that it will be exactly easy, however it is a nice feeling to consider these responsibilities and feel confident that I can make it work. 

So here’s to moving on and moving up! Even if I’m not exploring new countries in the next year, I am equally (if not more) excited to explore more of my own country and get a better grasp on what I want to do for myself. This year has provided me with a lot of great personal insight and experiences that I know I will use to keep pushing myself forward.