Magic Point

+ P A R I S , F R A N C E + By: Catalina Isaza, 12°

When someone thinks of Paris they immediately imagine the great Eiffel Tower, the luxury stores down Champs Élysées, the monumental Arc de Triomphe, and the prestigious Notre-Dame Cathedral. However, Paris is much more than the tourist attractions. Paris is a magical place where history meets fashion and class. It’s a place where any street is full of live and cute cafés, the sound of RGQRNGNCWIJKPIYJKNGGPLQ[KPICPGURTGUUQKUHWNſNNKPIVQVJGUQWNits makes Paris feel like home. Many people go to Paris with great expectations, but they get blinded by the immensity of the city and its monuments, and along the way they forget to truly experience the essence of the city.

I'm grateful to have had the privilege of visiting Paris a couple times now. When I've been there with my family our time has mostly been scheduled by the minute, where no time can be lost without visiting the great highlights. But this one time last year, I had a different experience because I was fortunate to travel by myself. This time I was able to appreciate what living the French culture is truly like. I

got to meet what the locals love about the city, what they do on an everyday basis. I visited some of Parisians secret spots, URQVUVJG[MPGYPQVQWTKUVYQWNFſPF

&WTKPIO[UVC[+IQVVQGZRGTKGPEGO[ſTUVRTKFGRCTCFGCPFI can not describe how amazing it was seeing a community of people coming together and enjoying who they are freely. I got to enjoy sitting down at random cafés to see people walk by while enjoying a coffee and a croissant, the plan of just walking the streets, getting lost, and discovering new places was fascinating, I got to discover new neighborhoods most people never go to. It was truly amazing. It’s callled the city of lights for its endless possibilities. In Paris, everything and anything is possible. In Paris humanity’s at home, because after all that’s all we are we’re light. Light on Eart. Paris feeds the soul because, in a sense, that’s what Paris is the city of the soul. It enriches us because we’re CNKXG%QOGVQ2CTKUCPFHGGNKVUſTGVJGUCOGſTGVJCVDWTPUwithin your soul.