May 29, 2022
I went to Paris on a solo trip for seven days. I honestly can’t believe I did it. It seemed so out of character to just suddenly hop on a plane and jet off to a foreign country. In fact, I booked the tickets two months out from when I was going.
Of course, now that I’m going to NYU I can’t do the sudden last-minute trip decisions but it was good to get it out of my system. I know that I can do solo travel and should do more traveling while I have the youthfulness. The money and time are another thing entirely—something I’ll need to figure out before I go on those trips.
With regards to my Paris trip, I found it refreshing to be in a place that wasn’t familiar. I read French better than I speak it so I was able to get around without too much trouble. Actually speaking the language was tougher as most of the time the people replied to quickly I couldn’t comprehend most of what they were trying to say. That is when they would switch to English, completely killing all my attempts to learn more of the language. I did notice that the younger people seemed more excited that I was attempting French. The older Parisians seemed ambivalent to my efforts. Either way, I did discover that I like the language quite a lot. Makes me think that I should try to continue learning it…
Digressing on language, I can firmly say that the food was an excellent part of Paris. While I never went to anything very fancy (I’m not a fancy person), I did go to many brasseries, cafes, and boulangeries. My favorite snack quickly became a pain au chocolat and a coffee. I avoided reviews, as risky as it seems in today’s Yelp-centric world, yet still had exemplary meals at every corner and nook in the city.
While the touristy parts of the city were cool, I found that the 10th arrondissement (neighborhood) captured me. It had such a casual charm to it, I was totally enchanted. The Saint-Martin Canal that meandered its way through was a hub of social activity. People would sit along the banks and have lunch, dinner, drinks, or talk. All of this was done while smoking. The French are unable to function without nicotine. Good thing they have good healthcare.
The people I met on the trip was a pleasant part. Everyone I met in the hostels was nice and a pleasure to talk to. I really couldn’t believe how friendly everyone was. From India or Brazil or the Philippines, they came from all of the world. It was fun to talk to people with such different perspectives. I even had a polite conversation with an older German couple right outside Centre Pompidou about politics, food, and general travel.
Overall this trip has reignited love for traveling (though airplanes still aren’t great) and has made me anxious to see more places. Paris was my first solo trip and won’t be my last.
Paris, je t’aime. Au revoir et à bientôt.
