JOURNAL NO.4

It was a crisp and windy Saturday morning. There were two things on my agenda: one, going to western union to pick up some cash, and two, making my way to Montparnasse so I could write this blog post. 

Just two nights earlier, I went through the traumatizing event of having my wallet get stolen —for the first time ever. My navigo pass, debit card, fake ID, 60 euros and various random little cards were gone forever, and I didn't know how to react. Not only were the things inside my wallet gone, my bright red, Kate Spade patent leather wallet was, too. 

My wonderful roommates helped me out and bought me some food for Friday until I was able to get a hold of my own money. Getting myself to the Western Union was not only tedious but difficult because of the brisk air. I finally got my hands on 230 euros and started my journey to Montparnasse. 

My metro ride was extremely stressful. I had 230 euros in my bag along with my passport, and I was probably the most paranoid I have ever been. Each time my eyes met someone else’s i was convinced they were gonna snatch my bag and take everything in it. I successfully made it to Montparnasse - Bienvenüe without losing a single item. 

As I stepped outside, the air seemed to be a bit warmer, but something tells me it was just my imagination. At first glance, I saw the Tour Montparnasse. The building is extremely tall, probably the tallest building I have seen so far in Paris. It’s architecture reminded me of home, of New York City. A single, tall, glass building that didn’t necessarily fit in with anything else here. 

With a sense of familiarity, I went to Starbucks and got a dirty chai latte and continued on my walk. 

Although there were directions given to us for this walk, I really wanted to check out the Catacombs while I was in Montparnasse. I didn’t know much about the ruins, but I had heard about them in passing and they intrigued me deeply. 

I made my way to the entrance of the Catacombs and found out it was only 10 euros, so I bought my ticket and made my way down. 

As I descended down the 100 steps to reach the site of skeletons and prayer, I could feel how haunted everything was. 

There were skulls embedded in the walls staring at me as I walked through them. As I continued walking through, I came across a cylindrical figure in the center of one room which consisted of bones and skulls facing different directions. 

I have never been in such a depressing yet warm place ever in my life. I feel as though I can see people hiding out from the government and practicing Christianity in secret. 

Thinking back on my experience in the Catacombs, I wonder what I would have been like if I lived in that time in Paris. If I was a practicing Christian that couldn’t honor their religion freely and in public, would I have come here? It’s a bittersweet feeling — because either I would have been proud to have found somewhere sacred where I could be the person that I wanted to be, or I would feel discriminated against because of my beliefs and as if I was betraying my people and my government. 

The thoughts of prayer aside, I start to think about the people buried here. The reason why there are skulls and bones of human beings stacked upon one another in such a sacred and hidden place. All the disease and hardship that took over Paris so many years ago must have been not only terrifying but extremely saddening. I imagine myself having a family member who got terribly sick and was buried in a cemetery, yet had to have been moved from their burial ground to somewhere deep and hidden because their body was spreading germs through the soil. 

My whole experience at the Catacombs just reminded me of how lucky we are today to be able to practice our religions freely and to have our loved ones buried at peace in one place without being moved. 

Not only am I personally extremely lucky to be here in Paris on my own at such a young age, but I feel like everyone living in this day in age is lucky to have all the advantages that we have. We have so many medicines that protect us from extremely harmful diseases and we have the ability to be who we want to be without being penalized for it — at least most of the time.