Merci Paris!

The best word to describe Paris is PRETTY. The architecture is pretty, the art work is pretty, the language sounds pretty, and the pastries look pretty. I enjoyed Paris with my friends from DC -- Risa and Rob. The three of us hit all the major tourist sites....the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Notre Dame, Arc de Triumph, and Versailles. My favorite thing about Paris were the Gardens of Versailles. These gardens were incredible and it just shows you that Louis XIV was the King of Bling when it came to his home and his outdoor surroundings. These gardens stretched out so far and each path would lead you down another incredible landscape masterpiece. Beautiful!

It's hard to believe that I have been gone for almost a month. I'm enjoying this experience SO MUCH more than I thought I would. I figured I would like it but I never thought I would LOVE it this much. Honestly, I was freaking out the last few days before I left. EVERYONE was always asking me about my trip and telling me how great this experience is going to be. I started getting major anxiety. I did not want to talk about it so I would respond to their questions and change the subject as fast as I could. People would say, "This is going to be the best thing ever!" and I started to freak out and thought, "Whoa, what if I go and I can't hack it so I come home after a week? I will let everyone down." Well, here is how I mustered up the strength and changed my anxiety and fear into passion for this trip....

1. GIFTS --- I have the best friends in the world! I received so many wonderful gifts and kind wishes before I left. I brought every single email and card with me and I looked at them when I had doubts in the beginning. I also loved all my bon voyage gifts and thought, "damn, if i go home early I would have to give these back." I definitely didn't want to do that :)

2. SMALL VICTORIES --- This trip has taught me so much about appreciating the little things. You have no idea how happy I am when I find my hostel on the first try or when I successfully transfer train lines. I seriously want to start dancing and screaming for joy! These little things fire me up and tell me, "Yeah, you're so awesome and no one can do this like you." I am a bit dillusional but it makes me feel good.

3. LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT --- My favorite part of the trip is walking out of the train station in every new city and seeing it for the first time. It leaves me speechless. I walk out and I see new buildings, signs in a new language, hear a different language, see differnet people, smell a new scent, and take in new scenery. This makes me want to see more!

4. GAME TIME DECISION --- I knew I wanted to stay in Europe for 6 weeks before I went to Asia. The only European countries I knew I was going to were Greece, Italy, France, and Croatia. Everything else has been a spur of the moment decision. There have been times when I go to bed knowing where I am going the next day but then during breakfast I will completely change my mind and go elsewhere. This is how I ended up at Budapest...I was going to go to Spain and then I changed my mind at the train station. I love making these last minute decisions because this is so NOT like me. This trip has bought my uptight level down to a 6.75 out of a 10 point scale. It was originally at an 11.

5. INSPIRATION. This trip inspires me everyday. It has taught me so much about history, culture, and life. It makes me want to read and learn more about world history. I am ashamed when I meet people here and they want to discuss American history and I really don't have much to say. I'm a college graduate and I can't give you the cause and effect of every historical event in U.S. history. It's embarrassing! Then people start asking me about Korean history and I'm again clueless...It makes me want to cringe. One guy from Switzerland asked me what my last name meant and I said, "UH, I don't know." I have a long list of things I want to read up on when I get back. If I have time to watch Gossip Girls and the Hills, I definitely can make time to read for an hour each day. I love learning and this trip has taught me so much...I'm craving to learn more!

I just got to Budapest this morning and so far it's been great. I just had lunch so you know I'm a happy camper after every meal. I look forward to writing about my Budapest experience later this week!