I've arrived!

Have you ever wondered, what's the sign or the turning point, that marks your residence in a new place? Is it when you unpack that last box? Or when you realize you no longer need to rely on a map to get around? Maybe it's when your everyday coffee guy starts calling you by name. For me, it was Friday night, when I was standing on the street with Suzanne and Sam (a friend of Brittany's) trying to decide where to get a drink, and I felt a tap on my shoulder. It was Sebastien. He was on his way to the movie theatre and saw me standing on the sidewalk.

Simple as it was, sporadically bumping into a Parisien friend on the streets of Paris - that was my turning point. That's when I realized that, in just a few short months, I've become a Parisien resident - I've arrived. I won't say I've become a Parisien for fear that the true Parisiens will strike me down with a stale baguette for uttering blasphemies. But Parisien resident, yes.

It was further confirmed when Sebastien said (after we convinced him to get a drink with us rather than go to the movies): ''Paris suits you. It doesn't suit everyone, but you look like you own this city." I'm not sure if I'd go that far since my grasp on the French language is still paltry and my understanding of French humor even more so. But compared to my first month here, I feel comfortable in my Parisien residential skin. ...And even more comfortable in my Parisien clothing... For those of you who are well-acqainted with my sometimes ''questionable'' fashion choices, I can safely say, I have found a city where my ''questionable'' choices are not only encouraged but often times understated in comparison. What more could a fashion-forward (or just fashion crazy) girl ask for?!?