My spring break was amazing! I don’t think it will ever be topped. It started on April 12th when my parents arrived in Paris. I am so lucky that my parents were able to visit and see the city that I have been living in for almost five months (I am leaving very soon which is not something that I like to think about).
One of the first things that we did in the city was visit the top of the Eiffel Tower. There was a long line but it was very cool to be able to see the whole city from such a high point!
Aunt Maria and my cousin Tara, who is studying in London, joined us in Paris and I really enjoyed being the tour guide! One of my favorite things that we did was the Paris 1900 exhibit at Le Petit Palais. I learned a lot about the décor, fashion, bourgeoisie, theater, and life in Paris during the time. It is without a doubt that Dad’s favorite activity was when we rented bikes and rode around the gardens of Versailles!
I also loved introducing my real family to my host family. On Tuesday night my mom and I taught the De Rochequairie family how to make sushi and everyone had a lot of fun. Gaëlle, like most French people, was amazed by the size of Dad. She was also ecstatic that Mom came with a huge jar of peanut butter, several things of Pez candy, and a bag full of old Abercrombie clothes.
While visiting me, it was nice that my parents were able to reconnect with our family that lives in Europe. We spent a lot of time with my Dad’s cousin Francesca who lives in Paris with her husband and two children: Louise and Pierre.
On Thursday, I flew from Paris to Venice with my parents. After losing a suitcase and taking a dreadfully long boat from the airport, we finally made it to my Dad’s Aunt’s house in Venice. The house is exquisite and the charming garden is beautifully decorated. While in Venice we ate a lot of gelato, spent time with family, visited the Bauer Hotel where Pietro currently works and saw the Cipriani Hotel where Zio Natale worked. The weather was beautiful and I couldn’t have asked for a better visit in Venice!
La vie de "French Hannah" 