Must.Stop.Shopping.

I think it is about time that I move on from shopping to another past time, like visiting museums or drinking more wine!

Granted, I really haven't spent all that much money, but it is frightening that I can easily wander through store after store, hour after hour, without stopping to eat, drink, or even pee! And, the big and brightly colored "Les Soldes" signs are posted everywhere, just pulling me into stores to see what bargains I can find (I got a cute belt for 2,40 Euro!). Thankfully, the sales will end in about two weeks and I'm anticipating my shopping habit will die off as I start making my way through my Paris to-do list (hopefully wearing my new gray ankle boots that seemed super comfy today when I bought them, but that aren't really "winter shoes" according to my host dad Philippe).

Honestly, I haven't been spending all of my time shopping. I've also been doing a lot of:
-Walking around Paris and enjoying the city
-Working out (running/going to the gym)
-Reading (I've polished off 6 books on my Kindle so far. I just started the second book in the Hunger Games trilogy and am surprised to say I really enjoyed the first and am gearing up to start a French novel recommended to me by Ophelie.)
-Speaking both French and English. I think my French is getting better and hopefully Ophelie and Brice's English is too!
-Sleeping - I can't manage to get up before 9 or 10 every morning, but I'm enjoying it while I can, since I don't really have anywhere that I need to be at a certain time.

Tomorrow afternoon I have a meeting with the director of the Maison de la Culture et de la Jeunesse (kind of like the Y's after school programs, I think) to see about volunteering an afternoon or two a week with the youth that go there. I'll let you all know how it goes!

Today, I was so happy to see the sun, even though it was really cold (oh yeah, also bought a new hat and scarf to help me keep warm). I headed into Paris for the day to enjoy the nice weather, go shopping (of course), and take advantage of the fact that I have a monthly metro pass that I want to make sure I get good use out of because I paid 100 Euros for it (approx $131).

Every time I go into the city, I come across a new location or sight that catches my eye. Today it was the Saint-Eustache Church and the interesting sculpture in the square next to it.

I had never heard or seen of this sculpture before, but a bit of internet research reveals that it is called Écoute (Listen) and was created by Henri de Miller in 1986.

I've also added a trip to Barcelona to my February itinerary - I'll likely be going with two lovely ladies who are also in France GeoVisions programs, one as an au pair just west of Paris (I'll be meeting up with her Sunday to visit one of Paris' many museums that are free the first Sunday of the month) and the other who is doing Conversation Corps in a town called Le Puy-en-Velay.