Une Américaine sur la Seine: maraispaperpaperpapermarais

So, I haven't had an extremely eventful last week in Paris. It's kind of unfortunate. Mainly, it's because everyone (including myself, finally) is stressing out about our 10 to 15 page final paper. The other reason for me at least, is that I've been sick with a cold and an ear infection. You know, it especially sucks to have clogged ears in a foreign country, because you already have trouble deciphering individual words. Now, it's just amplified! Plus, when I say, "What?" they think that means I don't speak French. Really, though, I just can't hear them! It's infuriating.

I have been to the Marais twice in the past couple of days, though. On Tuesday, I met Maria at a great cafe on Rue des Rosiers (where all the falafel places are). It's away from all the stands, and it's called Le Loir Dans La Theiere. We had amazing tea and ate lemon meringue cake that was cut in the biggest slices I have ever seen! So yummy.

After, we went to the Place des Vosges to do some work on our papers. Then, we went to Mariage Freres, this beautiful tea shop, where I bought tea and a music box that plays the Swan Lake music. I'm going to use it as a jewelry box so that I every time I need a necklace, I'll get to hear beautiful ballet music!

We then met our friends and ended up at La Belle Hortense, a literary cafe on Rue Vielle du Temple. It was really relaxing, as there were bookshelves and paintings everywhere, and we took over half of the back room with our laptops.
The rest of that day was boring...basically just me at home trying to fix my ear/work on my paper.

Then yesterday after class we grabbed lunch at La Grande Epicerie (probably for the last time) and went to the Marais to do some vintage shopping. I ended up going to this olive oil store instead to buy artisan oils for my family, and then I went to a vintage store alone. By then it was already around 6, so I headed home to work on my paper.

Today, I am still working on my paper (it's a long, arduous process) and am about to shower, stop by the pharmacy next door, and go to the Centre Pompidou Library where I will eventually meet Paulo to grab dinner.

I still need to pack, too, which I'm going to start tonight after dinner.

I wish my last week in Paris wasn't so work/illness filled, but it makes me appreciate the city as a place where you actually live. If I study abroad here for a year, every week isn't going to be full of sightseeing and fun, so it's nice to know I'll still be able to enjoy Paris when my life is busy or icky.

I'm planning on doing one more post (it might be two, who knows) before I return home! A bientot!