I’ve been trying to muster up some excitement and expectation for this Paris trip. I want to be reminded that I’m about to get to do something most people would be really excited about. I need a boost of the realisation that I get to hang out in one of the world’s most fabled cities for a month; living in a cute Parisian top floor apartment, in Montmatre. And call it work. Yep, i need to get thankful and excited pronto. that’s the wrong language but you know what i’m trying to say.
I do a few things to help the not quite buying it situation.
- I asked for help. I told my friends my predicament (the not being excited thing) and asked for their advice about what I should do while i’m in Paris. I got some great ideas of places to go and food to eat and beverages to drink. Lovely! I ask the same of you – do you have any hard won advice for me about living in Paris for a month? Please share!
- Ironing out the details. I finally received the paperwork from the French institution where i’ll be doing my french language study and that reassurance that the funding i’d been granted wasn’t just in my head did wonders for my mood. Also finishing another draft of Conference paper No.2 helped things along. I was feeling rather relaxed at that point at least comparatively.
- Getting in the Parisian mood with Music. I found a couple of great songs in spotify just by typing Paris in the search box. But i hit paydirt when I searched for ‘Playlist for Paris’ and came up with these:
I will try to put together a list of songs and post my own version of the ultimate preparation for Paris playlist. Do you have musical suggestions for me, while we’re at it?
- I started to think about packing! Thinking about the location and planning for it really help me get excited. I am so laissez-faire about travel (including international travel) these days that I usually try to be pretty laidback about the whole process.
Feel free to tell me i’m being whiny (or whinging) about my lack of excitement, it’ll be the swift kick i need right now!
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image: Anna Blanch 2006