From Writer's Block: Tell a story in the form of a love letter...
Hi Philomena!
I told you that I would write you! Here it is - an official letter! I also got you this striped scarf from a vendor right outside of the Notre Dame. It's still covered in scaffolding - you know from the fire a few years ago. Remember that? Sitting in Ruby's room watching it on CNN. That was so wild. I mean who knew that we would be experiencing so many world events?! You know? I mean so much has happened since then. But that was really big. For the time.
So this vendor who sold me this orange scarf - his is name is Mamadou. He's from Mali in West Africa. From what I understood, he's a refugee here in France. There's a lot of Al Qaeda in northern Mali. The French military is there to weed them out but of course, that's a double-edged sword. They need the French there to keep Al Qaeda from taking over the government but they're having all of these problems because of French colonization in the first place. Mamadou worked for the Malian government - he was protecting artifacts. Get this, he was working with the French government to get artifacts that they stole during colonization returned to Mali only to have to turn around and ask the French to protect these artifacts. Isn't that trippy? And now he sells scarves outside the Notre Dame. He said he was in danger because of all the work he did with both governments. He wants to go back. His parents are still there and some of his brothers. He misses his family. But he's just not safe. He's nice. I didn't try and barter. I just gave him the price he was asking for the scarves. I also go one for Natalie even though she comes to Paris all the time.
I've seen so much this first week here. I would definitely recommend the museum pass if you decide to go. I found this great little Belgian beer bar right by the Centre George Pompidou - that really weird modern museum. This bar is great! I've gotten to know all the guys there. David sees me come in and immediately seats me. He likes talking with me about beer. It's so fun! I've learned some better adjectives to describe what I'm drinking. It's really fun. I usually just have two beers and then will head off to another museum. If David was like 10 years younger, I would totally ask him out. He's good looking but he's got to be at least 50. That's the cool thing here too - you can be a server forever. Like it's a career.
So those are the two guys that I've met - LOL. I mean I haven't turned on any dating apps or anything like that but I could. I would probably have a date every night. I mean maybe I will. I have three more weeks. I should probably travel around France but seriously, I could probably spend the whole month in Paris and not see all of it. There is so much to see every day!
I've been keeping busy so that I won't think about Pieter. I do wish he was here so that we could be sharing all of these experiences. Sometimes I just go and sit at a cafe and drink a coffee and watch people go by. I keep thinking I might see him - which is why I do "normal" things and just not do all the touristy things. But I'm here - I mean I might as well see all of the things we were going to see anyway. Sometimes I'm lonely. But all I have to do is go outside my apartment and I'll meet someone new. People who say the French are rude haven't been here in a while. I have made a new friend every day. And if I start to feel really lonely, I'll just go have a beer with David, Pierre and Nick at the beer bar. They're all so welcoming.
Anyway, I have the apartment for three more months. If you change your mind, come out! We'd have so much fun! Plus the weather is getting nicer. It hasn't rained for two days and it's just lovely out. You can tell that we're on the cusp of spring. I forget how far north France is. If you came, we'd leave the city and explore other parts. I would love to go south. Of course, there is weird energy because of Ukraine. I know some people feel particularly stressed out. Like, that a war has already started. The woman who lives next to me is very stressed about war and what's happening. We've talked about it a little bit but she has a very strong dialect and I don't always understand her. Plus I always see her after I've been to the beer bar - LOL.
Ok. I got to get this in the mail. Tell everyone I said hi!
xoxo
Mia
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