October 4

The good weather does not continue. The sky is gray and rain falls intermittently. However, I am still in Paris, my favorite city so far. I never regret the decision to come here. Even though there are financial difficulties and second-hand smoke, the beauty and the vibrance of this city compensate all these deficits.

Every day as I got up from my cozy and soft bed, an surreal aura grasp me — I am in Paris. In short, my living quality here is much better than in Taipei, where I have no mattress but a hard bed. Because the dorm is near the school, every day in Paris I prepare for myself sumptuous but economic lunch and dinner, much cheaper than eating out even in Taipei. Also every morning the refectory of the dorm provides baguette, milk, orange juice at my disposal for breakfast, all inclusive in the rent every month. Walking in the beautiful city, having delicious food, enjoying nice weather, all add up to a cliché sentence, "la vie en rose".

However, it does not mean I do not have worries. Having been in Paris for nearly two months, I hardly make progress in my French. There may be two possible reasons, first which I think I should have taken the French program so that I can focus more on French but not on the two languages that I am not really fluent. Maybe I will take courses all in English next semester. The other one is that I do not really have contacts with other French people. The other thing is that my future after going back to Taiwan. Sometimes I do miss things about Taiwan, such as food friends and my family. I am reluctant to go back, but it is my home town after all.

I always convince myself my choice is right. Of course there will be some worries, but the most important thing is carpe diem, seize the days. It is OK to give myself a break from the mold, as I decided two years ago. Now I deserve to enjoy my life here. No matter what path the future may lead to, I should make the best of my life here.

Tonight I went to a live acoustic session at Shakespeare and Company Bookstore near the Seine, which was a scene in the movie, Before Sunset. The music was great, even though the place was crowded with people. I have never seen a live session like this. In a book store, the audience either standing or sitting on the ground, surrounded by the books and arts, we listen to the music. After the session I talked to the artists and the organiser of the session; also I met many other international students and talked a lot. Indeed life is full of uncertainty, but it is uncertainty that makes life worthy to live.