Last post!

Hi, everyone!

My last day. Phew. It's very hard to believe that I've already been here for two months, yet at the same time it's not hard to believe that I've been away from home for seven months so I'm feeling ready to get on the plane. Besides some last-minute packing, of course...

Today was lovely (I wonder how many posts I've started out like that this summer...). After finishing up a painting for my host family (shh! don't tell!) Reid and I went to Versailles, despite a sprinkling of rain (a nice farewell from France). We each brought parts of a picnic to eat under the shelter of the perfectly-trimmed trees, across from some beautiful horses and funny-looking goats. We both agreed that it was nice to get some fresh French air, and spent a few hours walking around the, again, bizarrely perfect gardens. So it was nature, but it was very far from wilderness. Baby steps, I suppose.

By the time we got back we didn't really have time to have a fancy sit-down dinner like we planned, so my last meal in Paris (besides tomorrow morning, which I already know will be bread, jam and yogurt. too predictable) was actually a crêpe. In a way, it's very fitting: simple, cheap, a little bit messy, but definitely worth it. Kind of like how this summer has been for me. I ordered nutella and banana -- the man at the kiosk handing me a few napkins in premonition of the bit I would spill on my blazer -- and hungry licked the piping-hot chocolate from the gaps in the folds. I then took the subway to Montmartre, where I met up with Reid and Mandi for what truly was a perfect last night in Paris.

I had made reservations at the Lapin Agile (which means, "quick rabbit." Wait - I just made the connection between the pizza chain, "Speedy Rabit Pizza." Sweet! Love when things come together like that.). Since I'm not uploading any photos tonight, you're welcome to check out their website (watch out, they sing to you) here: http://www.au-lapin-agile.com/

It's funny how life comes full circle. When I was a sophomore in high school, I'd taken part in a play called, Picasso at the Lapin Agile, written by THE Steve Martin. It is by far the best play I've been in, but back then I had no idea that the Lapin Agile was still an actual place. In fact, it's where the boho-intellectual class (the likes of which include Picasso, Einstein, Toulouse-Lautrec...) would frequent for a cheap drink and a cabaret. This past week, my French teacher sort of mentioned it in passing, like, "oh, have any of you been to the Lapin Agile?" as a way for us to practice our prepositions. I just about had a heart attack. You mean I can actually go there?? I made reservations as soon as I could.

So we get there, and by "there" I mean a little cottage on the other side of the Sacre Coeur, and he takes the name of our reservation, careful not to confuse "Anneli" with "Amelie" (which happens often in Paris.) We are lead to an upstairs not much bigger than the size of my bedroom, the walls of which are covered with original artwork by the frequenters. We then are serenaded to for close to three hours (at which point we left in order to catch the Métro). It was spectacular. The accordion, the red mood-lighting, the Edith Piaf songs... It was like going back in time. I'm not sure if the other girls enjoyed it as much as I did, but then again it didn't mean as much to them.

We made our way to the Sacre Coeur to see the view (if you thought Paris was pretty by day....), and then found the nearest Métro stop. We were going different directions, so we said our goodbyes and promised to Skype in the near future. Luckily, there's only about a month until I see both of them again.

Then I took the longest subway ride ever, and here I am, chez moi. I really should get on that packing.

Bonne nuit et merci pour me suivre.
-A