Paris, at least the one I fell in love with, is no more, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. What I’m talking about is that quality of endlessness that once filled my days here, that seductive feeling of my days stretching into eternity even though there was always an expiration date on my séjour here. I think that’s my favorite part about Paris—being able to believe that I have forever here and having the privilege to put off things like the catacombs or the opera. I haven’t left yet, but I’ve already lost that feeling. My days are numbered here, but it’s fun to to feel the pressure to be a tourist again and do all the things I’ve been putting off.

Like today for example: it’s my second to last day of work and after my first class, I skipped the rest of the workday to hop on a train to Giverny, which I didn’t realize until I got here is actually in the Normandy region. I’ve been dying to come here for ages and the warm, spring day was the perfect opportunity. Got here, put my phone on airplane mode, and just wandered through Monet’s gardens and the surrounding village.