I have always yearned for adventure, and have always been desperate for risks. For a long time I felt like my life was stagnant and I was too afraid to take the risk I was oh so desperate for.
So when my dad (aka the best person in the world) offered me the opportunity to go to Paris for a week during my spring break, I could not refuse! My flight and hotel were booked months in advance and I was set to go on the trip of a lifetime.
About a week and a half before I was set to leave to Paris my excitement turned sour and anxiety slowly crept in. I mean, I was terrified. I was going to another country by myself for the first time, I didn’t speak the language — I mean the only phrases I knew were “Bonjour” (Hello), Merci” (Thank You) and “Parlez vous anglais?” (Do you speak English?) and everyone told me that the French would hate me for that.
It wasn’t until I was on my delayed British Airways Flight, that I decided to let those fears go. I, just a little girl from New York was going to the city of love. I was ready to explore, get lost and finally visit the city of my dreams.
After a long flight and a confusing trip through customs, I made it out of the airport and got into a cab straight to my quaint little hotel, Hotel Beaugency. I immediately noticed graffiti filled walls and found myself extremely excited to immerse myself in the lively city streets.
Luckily I wasn’t completely alone during my trip. One of my best friends currently goes to college in Paris, so when I checked into my hotel she was right by my side as she only lived a “rue” or block from my hotel.
Even though I was extremely jet lagged I showered, changed, dropped my bags off in my room and immediately hit the streets with her. She gave me a tour and little insight to all of the cute local shops and all of the places to eat. We went to the Eiffel Tower and I promise you when I saw it I almost burst into tears. My dream of going to Paris and standing in front of the iconic Eiffel Tower had finally come true.
Day Two was just as amazing.
Coincidentally one of the loves of my life, Harry Styles was performing in Paris the day after my arrival. A friend of mine was scrolling through instagram and saw that a One Direction fan account was giving away one floor ticket for the concert and quickly sent me the link. I made contact with the girl giving her ticket away and after talking for a bit she gave me the ticket under two conditions: 1. That I would have the time of my life and 2. That I would take as many pictures as possible. It felt surreal (shout out to her for being so sweet and giving me such a great opportunity!)
As I waited for the concert I picked up my Paris Pass, aka the best thing a tourist could buy. It’s pretty much an all access pass to countless attractions and museums in Paris. I then spent rest of my day wandering through the streets of Paris. I hopped on the metro anywhere I could, and pretended that I actually knew where I was.
My night was spent at the concert and my seat was so close, it was surreal. My heart raced as I listened to Harry sing songs like Sign of The Times, Sweet Creature, and the head banger Kiwi. My seat was so close to the stage and I’m pretty sure I cried at least 5 times that night.
After my second magical night in Paris I wasn’t sure it could get better than that; it did.
Days three four and five were spent doing any touristy thing you could imagine.
I walked up endless flights of stairs to reach the top of Notre Dame church; reveling in the architecture, stained glass windows, and gold hues of the gothic church. Visited places like the famous Palais Garnier and my inner Phantom of The Opera fangirl self was screaming. I took a bus tour to Montmartre and saw the iconic Moulin Rouge, definitely listening to “Lady Marmalade” as I danced on by.
I went to The Louvre, saw the Mona Lisa (she was a lot smaller than I thought!) and definitely listened to Lorde’s song “The Louvre” on repeat as I got lost in the massive museum. I strolled through Musee De Orsay in awe during a tour, listening to countless backstories to famous paintings like Vincent Van Gogh’s self portrait, The Venus De Milo and countless other priceless works of art.
While my days were spent exploring alone, my nights were spent eating delicious food from small cafes and meeting some of the most intriguing Parisian locals along with my best friend. We went to clubs, danced our nights away, and truly just enjoyed catching up as I hadn’t seen her since the summer and missed her dearly.
When it was time to leave I took one last glimpse at the beautiful city and its breathtaking Eiffel Tower knowing I would soon be back.
Paris will always hold a special place in my heart. It’s where one of my best friend lives, it’s where I got to see Harry Styles sing his heart out, it’s where I got to meet some amazing people and immerse myself into its history.
And lastly? It’s where I finally allowed myself to be free of all of my fears and to take risks without relying on anyone to help me out. It’s where I realized that I can follow my dreams and do whatever I set my mind to.