C’est la vie

I had the great pleasure of visiting one of the most celebrated cities, Paris, France, two weeks ago. It was definitely the trip of a lifetime. I got to visit many tourists’ attractions, including the word-famous Eiffel Tower. I have to say that it looks a lot bigger in person and the crowds are enormous. The views of the city up on the third tower are spectacular. My favorite attraction was the Notre Dame Cathedral; stain glass windows and hymns from the choir practicing was an experience and view I’m glad I didn’t miss.

There was definitely a language barrier while I was there though. I was under the presumption, my fault, that more people spoke English. The locals explained to us that the younger generations are being brought up with English, and that many adults take pride in their native language. The hardest thing about the language barrier was eating at restaurants. Imagine starving and not understanding anything on the menus. Luckily, they were happy to translate at many places.

Besides all of the fabulous shopping and sightseeing, one thing that caught my attention was the way the French express themselves in their advertising. Many of the ads had some type of sexual angle. There were big banner ads throughout the city with naked women. This startled me because you don’t see this too often in the states, or if you do, it’s considered controversial. I was not offended, but rather impressed with their confidence and candidness in promoting themselves.

In the end, it was bitter sweet. I was sad to leave so soon, but exhausted and happy to be home. There are many things I take for granted here in the states, especially the prices. One thing is for sure, I’ll never forget Paris!

Shaira Cruz