Oui Oui

Nov 19 - Dec 2

Welcome back to the blog!

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Trip to Paris

Paris was by far the most expensive trip in terms of flights, accommodation, and transportation, but I truly believe it was worth every dollar. Rather than sticking to the popular attractions, we found it more enjoyable and adventurous to simply walk around the arrondissements and explore the city's charm. That said, the Eiffel Tower was still a must-see before leaving. In fact, I got to experience it twice-- once at night with its stunning light show and again during the day when I went up to take in the breathtaking view of the city. There's so much more to explore in Paris, and three days simply wasn't enough.

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Foods of Paris

Paris has a lot of diversity when it comes to cuisine. Aside from traditional French food, I noticed plenty of Italian, Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, and African options. While exploring the 13th arrondissement, Paris's Asian district, I had some great Vietnamese dishes like banh mi and bun thit nuong. I was in Paris to celebrate a friend's birthday, and we went to a restaurant called Monsieur Bleu, where we had a fine-dining experience with views of the Eiffel Tower. The pastries in Paris definitely lived up to the hype-- they were incredible, affordable, and definitely worth the praise!

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Florence Christmas Market

Europe has a vibrant Christmas culture, with nightly Christmas markets held in the center of nearly every city. The most popular one in Florence took place in Piazza Santa Croce, where they featured traditional foods, handicrafts, mulled wine, hot chocolate, and souvenirs. It was my first time visiting a Christmas market, and I loved the lively atmosphere and the mix of locals and tourists coming together. This was also where I tried sauerkraut for the first time, served on top of a wurstel-- which I thoroughly enjoyed.

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Friendsgiving!

In the spirit of keeping an American tradition alive while abroad, our friends came together to host a Friendsgiving dinner in our communal kitchen. With over 14 people attending, it was a true potluck experience, as each person brought a dish to share. The dinner gave us a much-needed break and allowed us to reflect on the memories we created during our time abroad. By the end of the night, it felt less like Friendsgiving with classmates and more like a family gathering. It was a bittersweet moment as we realized it was one of the last times we'd be gathering together like this.

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Trip to Pergine Valsugana

The boys and I took a trip to Pergine Valsugana, a commune near the Dolomites, for a final weekend retreat before the impending finals. Because the town was so rural and our cabin was deep in the mountains, there wasn't any public transportation or rideshare options, which prompted us to rent a car for the weekend. We spent two nights in a beautiful cabin that overlooked the mountain cliffs and the village below. The house came equipped with a reading room, cable TV, a fireplace, and even a hot tub. This last trip was the perfect way to wind down and take things slow before we got back to studying.