Quite excellently, my homestay assignment is in the 18th “arrondissement” (=French term for the districts in which the city is divided) of Paris which is called Montmartre. Home not only to the famous Sacre Coeur cathedral but also the vampy Moulin Rouge cabaret, Montmartre is generally regarded as the sort of artist’s quarter of Paris. But we’ll get back to that later! Right now, I want to give you about more of an idea about the building in which I live! When you think of Parisian architecture, you undoubtedly picture ancient and ornate apartment buildings with intricate iron balconies and flowering windowsills. And in doing so, you would be spot on! (Here, see for yourself! http://maps.google.fr/)

The view from my bedroom window! Typical Parisian landscape!

ANYWAYS  i live on the 6th floor of a wonderfully old brick immeuble (apartment building!) with two wonderfully hospitable host parents. The apartment is small for our standards, but for Paris, it’s just about right! It’s quaint and intimate and I have a little upstairs loft to myself. These little upstairs fixtures are remnants of post 1860s additions to buildings (Haussmann! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haussmann%27s_renovation_of_Paris) to create more housing in the city. Thus, back in the day, my little space would have been used as servant quarters! But today it’s perfect space for housing exchange students like myself! Have a look!

La baignoire (bathtub!) Note the lack of shower curtain!

The beautiful little parlor area! I suppose our equivalent of a living room!

The view from the dining room table!

European specialty: le WC (water closet, gotta keep that toilet separate! it's both a matter of sanitation and space!)

My whole back wall is covered in empty Camel packs. What can I say? The French love their cigarettes!