In the French language, the word, ‘salut,’ refers to both a hello and a goodbye. In greeting all of my fellow bloggers, I am also preparing my goodbyes to Paris. This Friday marks the final day of the USF Dance in Paris Program, and in honor of my last few days here, here are my five favorite things to do here.
5. Read in a park
Parks in Paris, and in France in general, are extremely well-kept. They include playgrounds for children, and free workout machines for adults. While it maybe be fun to play around, I find it relaxing to sit on bench and read while the evening breeze periodically pushes your bangs into your line of sight.
4. People watch at a cafe
Walk down any street in Paris and you won’t get very far without running into a cafe. In the midst of everything calling my attention in a new place, it’s easy to forget how valuable a cup of tea and a basket of bread can be to my well-being. Take a seat at one of those little round tables, watch the people go by, journal your feelings, boredom will be a distant memory.
3. Amorino Gelato!
Authentic Italian gelato. It’s creamy, it’s delicious, and they mold the heavenly goodness into a flower shape. What else could you want in a gelato shop?
2. Musée d’Orsay
The big hype museum in Paris is the Royal Palace- The Louvre, but this smaller, lesser-known museum is much better in my opinion. Musée d’Orsay offers a greater variety of art exhibits, ranging from sculptures, photography, paintings, and even a building model that you can observe from under your feet through the glass floor. Go ahead and get your quick glance at the tiny Mona Lisa, but for some fulfilling inspiration, Musée d’Orsay is the place to be.
1. Dance, Dance, Dance!
The entire reason I came to Paris was to dance! It is by no surprise that dance is my number one thing to do here. In addition to the 30+ dance classes included in the program, I took 11 extra classes at Studio Harmonic here in Paris. Whether you’ve never danced or stopped at some point, I would encourage a class at Harmonic. The gifted instructors that teach there only heighten one’s love for movement. Seeing dance in Paris is also a great privilege. We’ve seen performances by some of the world’s most renowned companies, and we’ve seen performances by young and upcoming artists. The dance here has a certain satisfying, ” je ne sais quoi,” you won’t easily find anywhere else.
As is evident, my time in Paris has been filled with satisfying and challenging experiences. It may be coming to an end, but I am determined to make the most of my last 3 days here.
-Hannah
