My last break of the semester didn’t exactly line up with Thanksgiving, which meant I got another chance to travel. Stockholm is notoriously dark and dreary this time of year, so what better place to spend a few days than in the City of Lights?
At first, I was nervous for my trip; it was a little last-minute, so I was traveling alone in a huge, unfamiliar city. But the great thing about Paris is that there was so much to see and do that I never felt lost or lonely. And I was lucky to meet up with a friend from DIS that was also traveling there.
Though I was feeling a little under the weather, I fit in as many of the big attractions as possible: the Arc de Triomphe, the top of the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the catacombs, and the Musée d’Orsay. One of my friends had said that all of it lived up to its reputation, and she was right! From the sheer scale of the world-famous landmarks to the feeling of seeing artistic masterpieces in person, it felt both totally unreal and shockingly real at the same time.
There were other perks to being in Paris besides the usual tourist attractions. The food was fantastic, so even though I didn’t get to the most famous restaurants, I knew I couldn’t go wrong. And it was nice to still have pretty fall weather—I hadn’t seen the sun set in the actual evening since maybe October! So overall, it was surprisingly relaxing for a solo trip such a huge city.
Though it was nice to have a break in Paris, I’m glad to be back in Stockholm for a few more weeks. It’s nice to be back in a city where I know where I’m going, understand what people are saying, and most importantly, feel like I’m at home.
Jet-setting this semester was fun, but I’m here to stay as long as I still can. Vi hörs!
Olivia’s Adventure in Stockholm 