How I Knew I Was in Love with Paris

October 29, 2013

Slowly but surely, I’ve fallen in love with Paris. Three weeks ago it was just a crush. Two weeks ago, I was in like. Now, I think I’m ready to admit there’s something more here, something real. I think Paris might be The One.

I first realized that I was more attached than I thought when I visited my best friend in London. We saw the Big Ben and toured Piccadilly Square; we people watched on the Thames; and we drank cider in several pubs. It was awesome to tour the city, but despite how lively it was, I couldn’t help but think of what I was missing in Paris.

The next weekend, the two of us went to Venice. I expected my friend to pledge allegiance to London the same way I had done to Paris. Perhaps we were both attached to the cities in which we’re studying. Surprisingly, upon our arrival she said she preferred Venice to London.

Even amongst all of the canals and pizza and pasta, Paris was still in the back of my mind.

Even amongst all of the canals and pizza and pasta, Paris was still in the back of my mind. Knowing that she was able to fall for another city made me think that Paris was actually special. Maybe I wasn’t attached simply because I lived there.

When I returned, I felt a nervous excitement in my stomach, the kind of feeling you get when your crush walks in a room and you’re really happy to see him/her but you don’t know what to say. I wanted to hang out with Paris all the time. I wanted to ask her on dates, to get drinks, to talk about where this relationship was headed.

Of course you need to see other places to understand just how much your significant other means to you. It helps put things into perspective. It allows you to have a standard of comparison if nothing else. But a crazy thing happens when you return. You forget your complaints and you’re able to see your city in a new, likely better, light.

My best friend is visiting my in exactly two weeks. And I expect her to find Paris even better than London, Venice or any city we’ve traveled to together. And it’s fine if she has a crush on Paris too. There’s enough love to go around.