France

Unlike my other two visits, this trip to Paris was different. We stayed in a much less touristy area surrounded by Parisian locals. The benefit to being in a less touristy area is actually experiencing a city as if you lived there. To be frank, the area was grungier than I expected. But grungy has its perks, like really cool Paris street art.What I realized from this trip to Paris is that you can find beauty in anything if you look hard enough. I was pretty disgusted by all the dog poop (it was everywhere!) and all the trash. But despite these negatives, my Paris neighborhood still was beautiful.Last week, I talked about the really cool doors I saw in Paris. Beyond the architecture, I noticed so much amazing street art. Nearly every street I turned, I found something beautiful to photograph. Finding Paris street art became one of my goals during my week in the city. It made the trip more exciting and helped me to get over myself. When I felt like complaining about the area we were staying, I reminded myself of all the beauty.One morning, I wandered around the streets close to our hotel and I noticed this little silhouette on a planter. I knelt on the cobblestone street attempting to get my shot.Two Parisians walked up behind me to see what I was doing. They looked at me curiously as I tried to get my shot and then started to speak to me in French. Since I don't speak French, I just said sorry, I don't speak French. I moved on and searched for more Paris street art.Their reaction to my photography taught me something important. Most people don't notice the beauty that is around that. Most people don't appreciate street art. Although it is a little thing, this experience reminded me to search for the beauty and uniqueness of each place I visit. Rather than whine about what I didn't like, I chose to appreciate the special opportunities I get to travel.

France

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