Parisian Preconceptions

When traveling to a new place, country, or foreign land, its normal to imagine what this new place will be like. These musings become preconceptions and are based upon stereotypes, word of mouth, or depictions in various media. Yet, no matter how well advised, well read, watched, or researched you may be, the uncharted territory in question never turns out to be exactly like the collage of it you have pieced together in your mind.

This is normal. But, I am not normal. I am about to embark on a 4 month trip to Paris and I'm positive I know exactly what it will be like. "C'est impossible!" you say? Check back with me in May and you'll be faced with un Arc de Triumphant "I told you so!"

Here goes:

1. Every morning as I stroll leisurely to my 9:30am French class (to which I will always be 20 minutes early) with a pain au chocolate in hand and a red beret flopped casually on my head, the Amelie soundtrack will reverberate throughout the city on repeat.

2. Despite my three year hiatus from practicing French academically, upon contact with French soil the language will reemerge from the folds of my brain and flow effortlessly out of my mouth in a perfect accent.


3. I will maintain a perfect figure on a diet of brie, baguettes, wine, and croissants.



4. I will find a vintage Louis Vuitton trunk at a flea market for $200.
5. One night, after ordinary drinks with friends, I will suddenly feel an overwhelming urge to take a solo walk through the Latin Quarter. Young, enchanted, and tipsy, I will get happily (and safely) lost in the maze of rain slicked cobble stone streets- particularly one that curves up-hill. At the stroke of midnight, Hemingway will roll up in a steam engine car and extend an invitation of more drinks and debauchery, to which I will gladly accept and return every night there after.

6. The next morning my subconscious will break off from the rest of my body and will take flight through the city, soaring over the tiled roofs and stubby chimney pipes, weaving through impossibly windy cobble stone streets shrouded in a grungy gray scale color tone. After narrowly missing the ominous rotating blades of the Moulin Rouge, my subconscious will catch up with the rest of my body which will be passionately typing on a typewriter, inspired by my visit to Gertrude steins apartment the night before, having been up all night crafting a masterfully tragic and romantic love story for the ages. (couldn't find a link to accompany this one.. but see Moulin Rouge)

7. In my “Intro to the Parisian Contemporary Art’s Scene” class I will meet a Parisian artist. We will lock eyes during class and, of course, fall madly in love and embark on a romantic affair. But, after about two months, the saturated colors of infatuation will begin to fade. He'll get jealous of my nights with Hemmingway. The red Vespa we would ride through the streets together will get stolen. And it will all come to an end when I have to go to one of his art openings and I’ll insist on wearing my “Annie” Necklace that I bought with my best friends at a street fair in NYC. But when I go to put it on I won't be able to find it. I’ll go to the opening feeling miserable and homesick. And no matter how much Paris glitters, I will miss the grit of New York. I’ll be sulking on a bench at the show, fiddling with the lining of my Dior clutch (that I found at a flea market for $30) when suddenly the necklace will materialize in the lining of my bag and I will flee the show (he wasn't such a great artist anyway) without saying good bye and run directly into my on-again-off-again soul mate who has flown over from nyc to profess his final and undying love for me...


But this is all very obvious and boring... So, now I will try to use my imagination and predict what might, just might, happen in Paris..

1. I might spend every last euro to my name.

2. In the first couple of weeks I might spend a lot of time in cafes reading Hemingway and thinking I'm tres chic while the waitress makes fun of my American accent.

3. I might get lost

4. and when I do, it might be raining...

5. and I probably won't have an umbrella

6. and I'll be forced to buy a 300 euro one at the only shop near by.

7. And I'll begin to walk home from the 11th to the 8th (where my apartment is) because it might be 1am and the subways will have just closed..

8. But it will be too cold and wet so I'll take a cab.. at which point I might not have enough money cause I spent it all on this dumb umbrella and the delicious croissants.

9. I might not answer any emails.

10. I might never come home.



That's about all I can predict at the moment. Keep up to date with my blog to see how many of my preconceptions actually come true.


A tout a l'heure

Annie