My first reaction upon hearing my acceptance to teach in Paris was of absolute joy. My next thought was, "What shall I wear?!"
This will be my third time here in Paris but the first time I have ever lived here. I have traveled to many places before, among them Vietnam, Chile, England, Ireland, Italy, etc., but I consider Paris a very special city and wanted to live here and experience the Parisian lifestyle.
So far, the Parisian lifestyle is very different compared to where I am from. My family is originally from the south of Vietnam, but I have lived in Los Angeles almost my whole life. In Southern California, the weather is always sunny and hot, even in December. For transportation, you have to drive on the freeway in order to go places, which is a big hassle when there is a lot of traffic. On weekends, "Los Angelenos" usually go to the beach to surf or sunbath. Because a lot of Hollywood films and TV shows are made in Los Angeles, it is not uncommon to see celebrities in a grocery store or at their own movie premier.
In contrast, you can definitely feel the change in the weather and experience the four seasons in Paris. My favorite season is autumn, so I enjoy walking around Paris very much to see the leaves change and fall. I also like how the metro makes it easy to go anywhere and it is great for the environment. In Paris, my favorite thing to do in Paris is "people-watching." I like to go to cafés and sketch the people walking along the boulevard or the patrons enjoying their drinks.
Besides traveling, I enjoy art, reading books, the cinema, dancing, and music very much. My favorite museum is the Centre Pompidou in Paris. My favorite book is called "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chbovsky. My favorite movies are too many to name but I really enjoy directors like Stanley Kubrick, Alfred Hitchcock, Pédro Almodovar, and Wong-Kar Wai. I love all types of dance and am currently learning the tango. My favorite bands are The Beatles, CSS, and Justice although I always like to discover new bands. In fact, I love learning new things about myself and the people around me, including my students, and look forward to getting to know you all even more!
Mary
