EIFFEL TOWER & ÉCLAIRS
Dear Caroline, Paris Mediterranee Van Maris Dear Caroline, Paris Mediterranee Van Maris

EIFFEL TOWER & ÉCLAIRS

I have been to France four times and Paris 3 times and I have never seen the Eiffel Tower. And I mean with my own two eyes in its presence. I’ve see photos and the tower far off in the distance, but before I leave I told myself I had to see it for real. And I am so glad I did.

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“HOME” AGAIN
Dear Caroline, Paris Mediterranee Van Maris Dear Caroline, Paris Mediterranee Van Maris

“HOME” AGAIN

Wedding is over! It was so wonderful to see the family and see you walk the aisle with the other brides maids. You all looked beautiful. I hope you had a great time. I will admit I almost didn’t recognize you, you’ve grown up so much! It feels like just yesterday that we were staying up all night on Christmas Eve watching Elf and other movies in the living room by the Christmas tree in 2021.

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I WENT VIRAL & BUTTER-BUTTER
Dear Caroline, Paris Mediterranee Van Maris Dear Caroline, Paris Mediterranee Van Maris

I WENT VIRAL & BUTTER-BUTTER

I can’t believe it! in 48 hours we will be together, the whole family! Are you excited for the wedding? You’ve got a big job to do too, Junior Bride’s Maid, not everyone can say that! We are going to have so much fun, but first I have to pack. I want to bring some french snacks and specialties for the family to taste and have a whole little party about it. But to do that I gotta go get those things.

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THE LOUVRE DAY TWO
Dear Caroline, Paris Mediterranee Van Maris Dear Caroline, Paris Mediterranee Van Maris

THE LOUVRE DAY TWO

I’m back at the Louvre, after my first visit and getting lost, I realized that a single visit at the louvre wasn’t going to be enough. Especially if I wanted to see all the museum has to offer. Every entry is 17€ which can get expensive fast so I bough an annual pass. I have to go five times to make it worth it but I know I’ll go every week, maybe even twice a week!

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PALAIS GARNIER
Dear Caroline, Paris Mediterranee Van Maris Dear Caroline, Paris Mediterranee Van Maris

PALAIS GARNIER

Last time I was in Paris I didn’t get the chance to do much sight seeing. On the top of my list was the Palais Garnier (or The Opera), it’s where the ballet and opera perform. It is also where the legend of the phantom of the opera started. You know, the musical… well this is where it is set! The theatres in toronto are decorated, but the Palais Garnier is opulent.

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PARIS FASHION WEEK
Dear Caroline, Paris Mediterranee Van Maris Dear Caroline, Paris Mediterranee Van Maris

PARIS FASHION WEEK

It’s FASHION WEEK! I have always wanted to go to a fashion week. Toronto has one in the fall too I think but the fun stuff is always when I have work. With Paris being a fashion capital, not only are there fashion shows, there’s exhibitions, installations, museum events, galleries, swag rooms and masterclasses all throughout the city and the best part… most things are open to the public.

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THE LOUVRE & OTHER THINGS
Dear Caroline, Paris Mediterranee Van Maris Dear Caroline, Paris Mediterranee Van Maris

THE LOUVRE & OTHER THINGS

Finally had time to do some touristy things. This weekend I went to the Musee des arts decoratifs and the louvre. At the Musee they had an exhibit about fashion and sports. It was so cool! The way it was set up was that you would walk through time and see how the fashion for the most popular sports at the time have evolved. What I found really fascinating is that almost all sports were played by women competitively before men even had the thought to turn it into their carriers.

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ATELIER CUISINE
Dear Caroline, Paris Mediterranee Van Maris Dear Caroline, Paris Mediterranee Van Maris

ATELIER CUISINE

I’ve been doing a couple cooking classes these last few weeks. Well the school calls them “Atelier Cuisine”. I’m always the only one, all on my own with an activities staff. But they are so cool, Lina and Brahim are so funny. We talk a lot about the difference between France French and Canadian French, the differences are numerous and make for hysterical miscommunications. I made a dish called Welsh… apparently it’s French… but I was skeptical. I’m told it’s a regional dish from Lille and it is very popular. It’s country bread with mustard and ham covered in a cheese beer sauce and topped with a fried egg.

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MILAN WAS A BLAST!
Dear Caroline Mediterranee Van Maris Dear Caroline Mediterranee Van Maris

MILAN WAS A BLAST!

I made it to Milan! The flight was actually quite enjoyable. Took the train to the city Center. Had a late lunch with my friend and relaxed in my hotel the evening. I watched an Italian game show. Weird game show. Kind of like the Asian game shows. I’m surprised by how much I understood of it.  All my Italian is coming back. I went to the grocery store and got my yogurts for my breakfast and some snacks that Caspianne requested for her wedding.

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MILAN HERE I COME!
Dear Caroline Mediterranee Van Maris Dear Caroline Mediterranee Van Maris

MILAN HERE I COME!

I am going to Milan Italy for the weekend. I didn’t have the chance whilst in Rome and I really wanted to get my dress for Caspianne’s wedding here. Going to go to some ateliers but I’ll probably end up with something from Zara or H&M, the fast fashion here in Europe is far superior than in the US and Canada. The style is top notch.

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BLUER SKIES
Dear Caroline, Paris Mediterranee Van Maris Dear Caroline, Paris Mediterranee Van Maris

BLUER SKIES

The clouds have lifted… I think. I’m feeling more at home now in Paris and I’m making friends. Met a girl from California, she’s really cool and we went for lunch at one of my restaurants Paul & Julienne. It was nice to be talking with someone other than the thoughts in my head. She works in marketing which gives her the flexibility to do a trip like this to Paris.

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GETTING TO KNOW PARIS
Dear Caroline, Paris Mediterranee Van Maris Dear Caroline, Paris Mediterranee Van Maris

GETTING TO KNOW PARIS

I’m still feeling a little not like myself but i’ve already spent too much time at home. I need to get out, even just for an hour. This week at school I started to explore the lunch options in the area. I had made a list of all the restaurants and cafes that were recommended on line and saved them in Google Maps. What a great little tool, I now have a tab called “Paris Eats” and if ever I am hungry I open it up and it shows me which is closest to my location.

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BONJOUR PARIS!
Dear Caroline Mediterranee Van Maris Dear Caroline Mediterranee Van Maris

BONJOUR PARIS!

Finally in Paris and well…. I’m already skeptical about France and this is my last destination so I really want to end on a high note. When I arrived at my host, she wasn’t even home, she took a 3 week holiday. Only her adult children are home, her youngest is 17 years old which isn’t far off from Jacquelyn and Zoe and her son is 22, which made me the oldest in the apartment by nearly ten years.

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BAGUETTES & CROISSANTS
Dear Caroline, Nice Mediterranee Van Maris Dear Caroline, Nice Mediterranee Van Maris

BAGUETTES & CROISSANTS

It’s been a week now at this third (and last) host. Even with her rules, I am making it work. I’m out exploring a bit more, definitely trying some new restaurants. my two favourites are Mr. Mathieu and Maison Celine. Mr. Mathieu is a sandwich shop that only makes baguette sandwiches. Their most famous is the Mr. Poulet, it is amazing. Crispy baguette, roast chicken, butter, herbs, dijon mustard, and gruyere cheese, all melty and delicious.

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AT THE END OF MY ROPE
Dear Caroline, Nice Mediterranee Van Maris Dear Caroline, Nice Mediterranee Van Maris

AT THE END OF MY ROPE

They found me a place. It is clean, but again I am met with a xenophobia I haven’t experience in Berlin or in Rome. When I arrived at this woman’s house she told me to leave my bags outside until she talks with me to decide if she will allow me to stay. Thankfully I was “allowed” to stay and moved in. She then handed me a pamphlet with the house rules.

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STILL NOT SO NICE IN NICE
Dear Caroline, Nice Mediterranee Van Maris Dear Caroline, Nice Mediterranee Van Maris

STILL NOT SO NICE IN NICE

I never thought I would get to this point on my trip, but I just want to come home. I give up on Nice. The school has no interest in helping me. When I spoke to them about my “requirements” for a host. I told them I just want what I paid for: a room in a host family, in a clean house that is 60 minutes or less away from the school. Their follow up question again was: what is more important, being close to school or that the place is clean.

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LA MER MEDITERRANÉE
Dear Caroline, Nice Mediterranee Van Maris Dear Caroline, Nice Mediterranee Van Maris

LA MER MEDITERRANÉE

The school has placed me in a new host family. It’s so far from the school, like an hour and a half by bus away from the school, which includes a 20 minute hike in the mountains. Thankfully my dad and Sarvy are visiting for a couple days. It will keep my mind off this disappointing situation.

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VIENNA!
Dear Caroline, Vienna Mediterranee Van Maris Dear Caroline, Vienna Mediterranee Van Maris

VIENNA!

I am so happy I got a week in Vienna, there is no way I would have survived living in that rooming house for another moment. The hotel in Vienna was gorgeous! Absolute luxury. It’s all Paris themed which is very à propos. Im sharing my room with my bonus sister Tara. The hotel has a great restaurant but the highlight is the bakery downstairs. It’s famous in the area. It’s called Moto Brot, and I lived in that little bakery. The croissants were French, your dad would have loved them. Buttery and flakey, oh and the almond croissants were to die for!

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NICE ISN’T SO NICE
Dear Caroline, Nice Mediterranee Van Maris Dear Caroline, Nice Mediterranee Van Maris

NICE ISN’T SO NICE

I have arrived in Nice and it’s starting to feel a bit like a repeat of Berlin. I arrived right on time went to the little EF school kiosk and no one was there. Not a soul. I called the transfer number and they said that they already picked me up.

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CIAO ROMA!
Dear Caroline, Rome Mediterranee Van Maris Dear Caroline, Rome Mediterranee Van Maris

CIAO ROMA!

My time in Rome has come to a close. How three months go by so fast! When I arrived in mid-April I was so anxious that I would have a rough experience like in Berlin, but I was so wrong. Rome was amazing, I would even call it home!

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