Of course Paris would be at its most irresistible when I only have two days left.

Covered in purple flowers, the blooming Jardin de Tuileries glows in the spring sunshine and everywhere people sprawl out on the green metal chairs, closing their eyes and pointing their faces in the direction of the sun.

After taking my last exam today the end of the year seemed to be finalized. I find that all I really feel like doing is sitting in one of those chairs in the jardin, letting the sun warm my hair and sleeping the afternoon away, denying the fact that I will ever have to leave.

Relaxant.

Beautiful purple iris.

Now that the stress of final exams is over there is a new stress of trying to hit all of my favorite spots in the span of one and a half days, as well as packing and having picnics with friends and trying new foods and going to museums for the last time. At the same time come conflicted emotions of sadness to leave and happiness to be home. All in all, it’s a very confusing time.

Today, sitting in the Musée l’Orangerie and reflecting while staring into the depths of Monet’s waterlilies I thought about how much I had changed in this year, and decided that I would be eternally grateful to Paris and the people I met here for shaping me into something new and different.

“If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast.” – Ernest Hemingway

I will be back in Seattle on Saturday evening.

XOLily