The Fine Art of Family Magazine

As a college junior, I spent five months in Paris, where I studied French, art and photography. I lived in a little room in the home of an older single Parisian woman and her dog.

This May, I experienced deja vu when I picked up my youngest daughter, Laura, at the airport. She had just returned from a semester abroad in Paris, where she studied French, art and business while living with a older single Parisian woman.

The similarities between our experiences were uncanny right down to feeling devastated the day we had to return home. She even went through my same program called the International Education of Students.

However, the biggest points of difference from our trips is that I didn’t have the opportunity to maintain a steady flow of conversation with my family as she did. Before Skype, Facebook, texting and even emailing, my best option to contact my parents, besides a handwritten letter, was a phone call, which I would make every 10 days or so from a post office or phone booth (remember those?) on a street corner.

Laura, on the other hand, always had the opportunity to reach out to us every day. If I didn’t hear from her, I would always find some excuse to write her an email. She was particularly great about taking me on excursions with her. She would often write to tell me in vivid detail about a new shop in the historic neighborhood of Marais or a bistro she discovered while exploring a quaint cobblestone street. Or she would bring me with her to my favorite museums—the Musee Rodin and the Musee d’Orsay—where I spent many, many days writing papers.

Had we signed up for Gowalla or Foursquare—popular online social networks that allow you to literally track participating friends and family on a world map (both offer rewards, like coupons, for visiting certain places)—I would have been able to literally follow her everywhere.

While French lifestyle, traditions, and museums have remained nearly the same since my academic visit, many of the restaurants and stores that she found were new to me. I was able to create fresh memories with her from across the Atlantic without dropping a dime—well, maybe a little money here and there since she found way too many cute boutiques. I feel fortunate to have had the chance to fall in love with Paris all over again through my daughter.

xox,
M

P.S. This week we’ve dedicated our all our posts to Paris and the highlights—historic neighborhoods, unique shops and special exhibitions—of my daughter’s recent trip, as told by her. Check back tomorrow to learn more about what this great city has to offer!

Published on July 12, 2010

Tags: Family, Monicas Blog, Sharing, Travel