Paris

Parisian Adventure

In April 2007, I left my former home of San Diego for a seven month stay in Paris, France before my move to San Francisco. I lived in the Batignolles neighborhood just west of Montmartre in a 25-square-meter furnished apartment. Click here to see my apartment in Paris. The goal of my trip was to learn French and experience the European lifestyle.

City Boy in Paris

I arrived in Paris with overpacked suitcases and only a minimal remembrance of French from school. It was by far the scariest day of my life. I settled in and started exploring the city, all the while absorbing the language like a sponge.

What began as a quest to learn French quickly developed into something much greater. I knew it would be the trip of a lifetime, but I had no idea it would be such an adventure. This was truly a fantastic journey in which I learned the language, culture, history, and planning that makes Paris one of the best cities in the world.

Carnet de Voyage

The adventure began the moment I stepped off the airplane. During the course of my trip I witnessed a riot, nearly got arrested for breaking into my own apartment, and struggled as my body weight plummeted. I toured the presidential palace and saw the president himself! I did my best to survive the French bureaucracy, but it almost got the best of me.

All of my adventures were written in an exciting carnet de voyage (trip notebook). It includes stories, sights, history, drama, puzzles, mystery, and suspense... with full-color photographs. Read it all here on my Paris Blog.