Paris, My Valentine

“Il n'est rien de réel que le rêve et l'amour.”  
Nothing is real but dreams and love. — Anna de Noailles

I’ve not even been in Paris for a week, yet I feel like so much has happened already. When I first arrived, I couldn’t fully comprehend the fact that I'm not simply vacationing here, but that I’m LIVING here! Now, after moving into my dorm, making some friends, navigating the metro, seeing my university, and finally getting over my jet-lag, I’m starting to realize what a life-changing experience I am embarking on.

After arriving in the morning on the first day, we had some free time before our first orientation session. To get used to Paris time, I did not take a nap and instead went out to explore the city with some other students that I met that morning at the airport. During our walk we came upon le Pont au Double, a pedestrian bridge that connects L’Ile de la Cite with the Left Bank. This bridge is not only a destination for people looking for a great picture of Notre Dame, but it is also the destination for couples looking to declare their love.

In Paris it is a tradition for lovers to come to a bridge like le Pont au Double, to attach a lock to the bridge, and to throw the key into la Seine River as a symbol of their eternal love for each other. This tradition is adored by many and the city officials received a lot of criticism in May of 2010 when they removed the locks from another bridge, the Pont des Arts, but that hasn’t stopped lovers from coming to the beautiful Seine to affirm their love. Discovering this bridge on Valentine’s Day was fun and I could feel the love in the air. I plan on coming back here at the end of my journey to declare my eternal love for Paris, the “City of Love.”