Paris est une fête.

Howdy!

I guess the major news of today is that I AM HOME!  I got back yesterday and have taken advantage of the last 24 hours to hug my family, eat crab enchiladas (thanks El Tiempo), observe all the new construction around town, caresser the pets (Flower, our dog, and Apple and Rossini, the cats), and begin the tedious process of unpacking and reorganizing.  I'm a little discouraged from doing too much organizing, though, since I'll be moving again in two short months.  Next week I'll make a trip to Austin to see all my lovelies, check out the house Colleen and I are renting next year, and deal with all that boring/official UT stuff.

Being back is WEIRD to say the least, and it seems like I can already feel the French (and Italian) slipping out of my brain.  Nooo(n)!  I've started teaching Flower French; I mean, she is half-poodle...she's a good listener but, as predicted, is having a little trouble getting rid of that anglophone "r".  We'll get there.

As Thao predicted after the last post, I didn't have time to update during my last three weeks in Paris - too busy with finals, one last paper, friends visiting, and one last voyage - to Brussels and Amsterdam.  After we got back from Amsterdam I had a short two days to pack everything up and say my goodbyes.  Colleen was my lovely dining companion at Chartier and Le Refuge des Fondus, two restaurants I had been meaning to check out for quite a while.  Delish!  On Wednesday I had one last dinner with the family - bittersweet!  I gave them the gifts that my parents had intended to give them - a southwestern-style bracelet for Laurence, Texas wine for Maurice, and a hand-crafted bobble-head armadillo for Camille (cooler than it sounds, actually - they got quite a kick out of it). 

In the midst of all that activity, I found time to enjoy my last moments in the city, checking out a few places I'd never been before as well as making last visits to my favorite spots.  Paris treated me well (must have heard my complaining in the last post) - a week before I left I enjoyed an unforgettable evening at the Café de l'Industrie near Bastille, where I had organized a little goodbye party.  It was well attended and I think everyone had a great time.  I am so grateful to have had so many friends come out to bid me au revoir!

To see photos of that evening as well as others taken in the last couple weeks on that continent, click here.
You can also see homecoming photos here.

I guess this au revoir for us, too.  Needless to say, the last nine and half months have been an incredible journey for me that I will continue to reflect on in the coming days/weeks/months(/years?).  But for now, I'll keep it short and sweet.  A big MERCI to everyone who's been reading for your interest and support.  And a big merci to Paris, too.

A bientôt,
Mademoiselle Alina :)