France, my second home

Outside the Madeleine Cathedral: Paris
Background of the Museum of Classic Art: Lille
In the wet portion of the Marais-Poitevin: Niort
Our last night: Nantes
By the riverside with the old city in the background: Angers
Flying into France felt almost analogous to flying back to the States; I consider this country my second home because I feel at ease with the language and have developed such delightful friendships with those I encountered in 2008 during my study abroad experience. I made the same circuit of visits—Paris, Niort, Nantes and Angers—as last August, but with a bit more rapidity than my last stay. Fortunately I made the most out of my two days in each place to visit my dear friends and to share in their lives as they shared in vicarious excitement with my stories from Senegal. In one week, I caught up on my cousin’s Parisian affairs, met Cheikh’s wife (whose marriage took place in Dakar three weeks after I arrived), walked through the Marais-Poitevin on foot, fled the rain in Nantes by cooking and reading in my friends’ charming apartment, and walked around Angers with my former host sister as we talked about her upcoming study abroad experience in the U.S. Never missing an opportunity to deepen relationships, I took advantage of my time to appreciate the French landscape and taste the culinary beauty of several favorite pastries. On to Hungary!

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