Photo of the Day: Paris

 via Pinterest

I'm excited for every aspect of this trip, but I'm most excited about April in Paris. I've dreamed of visiting France since I was a kid. That dream was enhanced by eight years of French lessons that have left me with a very loose grip on the language. I know how to introduce myself, ask someone to pass the strawberries (or the cheese), and direct people to the library, among other practical actions.

Plan: Find this bench and sit on it and watch Parisians and listen to them talk. Maybe I'll pick up the bits of language I've been dropping all over the floor.

If not, oh well. It'll be April, and I'll be in Paris.

Coming Soon: A New Look!

Friends! I apologize for the long absence; apparently finishing grad school was, like, hard work or something. But with that silliness out of the way, we can focus on the future!

And what a bright future it is! Two weeks from today I fly to Dublin to begin a whirlwind, five-week tour of the European continent. I will traverse Ireland, England, France, the Czech Republic, Italy, and Switzerland, and you'll be able to read all about it right here on my blog. Hopefully it'll go a little better than it went for the Griswalds in National Lampoon's European Vacation.

Either way, stay tuned for exciting adventures, starting with a revamp of this blog as well as a few posts on travel prep in the next week. And feel free to leave advice for the must-see (or must-avoid) tourist traps at my various destinations. This is my first ever trip abroad -- not to mention my first month-long (mostly) solo trip -- so I'm open to any and all suggestions.

In the meantime, I'm daydreaming over on Pinterest. My favorite shot of the day comes from Antrim, in northern Ireland. I think I could hang out here for awhile.

Oh hey also! If you know anyone looking to sublet an awesome bedroom (mine) in Chicago for five weeks or less, show them this Craigslist ad. Kthnxbai.