Slice of Paris

Seeing a big city in short bursts, either on a long weekend or even during a week, has all the excited energy of a one-night stand or short-lived romance with no strings attached. It’s fun, random, but also temporary, a vacation from reality or like being drunk without the hangover. But how much do you love that same place after trying to make a living there? After spending countless hours in traffic commuting to and from work or dealing with daily crowds? After experiencing the bad, not just the good? After starting to see it through the eyes of a local, not just a tourist?

Perhaps, you’ll fall more in love with the place or maybe the initial allure will start to wear off. I’m not a believer of love at first sight. Anything lasting and great takes time. For me to say I love Paris I would have to stay there for at least a year or two. Enough time to find a familiar grocery store, bar, neighborhood, or coffee shop. Something that says this is home, this is where I belong. This is my slice of Paris.