Fireman's Ball and Good Friends

Today is Bastille Day, a day off from classes and a chance to recover from this weekend. It has been cold and rainy for the majority of my time here, but today the sun is trying to peak out. Hopefully it'll be a clear night for the Bastille Day fireworks!

Halfway through the best Italian EVER.

My friend Amanda has been here since Thursday. She was a first-year student with me last year, lives in New York, and is a beautiful writer, though she looks like she'll punch you in the face if you try to compliment her. She came to visit before she makes a permanent move to Paris in September! We drank entirely too much wine, ate croque monsieur, Italian food, and gyros, sat by the river, and talked about last year as if it had just happened.

In the spirit of tradition, we went to the Fireman's Ball last night. These are Bastille Day rituals when Firehouses across Paris open their doors and host amazing parties with lights, DJs and dance floors. Although it was a different experience than last year, it is still fun to be in the middle of a huge outdoor European party surrounded by French firemen. Always entertaining to see.

Tomorrow, our group of Fellows is workshopping a story I wrote on Kilimanjaro, and I'm looking forward to seeing what they think of it. Somewhat frustratingly, I'm finding it difficult this year to write well. It's always hard, and the intimidating talent around me isn't helping. Trying to hone my editing skills, I plan to use the next two weeks to revise the pieces that I've written.

This week is more writing for me, and then Amanda and our other friend Chelsea come to Paris on Wednesday! More time with writer friends, and it makes my heart so happy. Have a wonderful week!

abs antics by the river. She can be inSeine sometimes.

Back at the firehouse

No more candids for us.

Tricia, my Virginia buddy!

In case we were unclear about where the DJ was...