Apologies for the lack of updates. It's hard to get everything done when time is sparse.

IES held a wine tasting on Tuesday. We got to try two white and two red and discovered the proper way to drink wine (sniff, swirl, sniff, swirl, sip). Everyone got really excited about all of the bread and cheese they gave us (free food), which was surprisingly delicious.

We had our welcome dinner cruise on the Seine on Wednesday night. It was beautiful, though I could only name a few of the monuments we passed by. It was a strange experience to be warm, well-dressed, and full of fancy food only to pass bridges under which communities of homeless people had constructed veritable carboard mansions. There are a surprising number of beggars here, which I guess is the case with any large city. I just can't imagine having to live in a metro station. It's not like I've never seen a homeless person before, but there's just a surprising juxtaposition here between the rich and the poor (I know, I know, just like every other country).

A lot of IES students are leaving this weekend to travel to Brussels or Amsterdam or a number of other cities. It's kind of hard to believe. I feel like I'm just establishing my roots here and have no intention of leaving this city for at least a few more weeks. Different strokes, I guess.

Hopefully I'll find some Parisian fun this weekend before classes start on Monday. Happy Friday, all.