Paris Archive

My Adventures Living in Paris

Hi, my name is Brian Bailey, and I am a swing dance instructor in Paris, France. On this blog, I regale my adventures living in Paris and becoming a full-fledged member of the community.

My Latest Posts

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  • Panoramic view of the Ajanta Caves carved into a curved basalt cliff face in Maharashtra, India, with visitors on foreground stone steps descending toward lush green vegetation and the cave complex beyond.
    What Ajanta Asked of Me
    In Egypt I felt small. At Ajanta I felt irrelevant. The distinction matters — and the second one turned out to be a gift.More
  • View from Hemakuta Hill at Hampi, Karnataka, India, showing scattered temple ruins across a rocky plateau with mountains visible in the background.
    I Chose to Climb
    The ruins at Hampi stretch across a landscape almost the size of ancient Rome. I had gout in my left foot. Every step on uneven ground cost me something real. I climbed anyway — and missed almost all of it.More
  • Experiencing Culture Shock in France
    Culture shock is often felt sharply at the borders between countries, but sometimes it doesn’t hit fully until you’ve been in a place for a long time. Henri Cartier-Bresson Nobody…More
  • Exchanging my US Driver’s License for a French One
    A few months back, I was able to exchange my US driver’s license for a French one (permis de conduire). The process was fairly straightforward but did take a few…More
  • A Week in London
    Recently, I spent a week in London, traveling by train under the English Channel. Lucking out, the weather in London was warm and sunny except for one day of rain.…More
  • Mid-Spring in Paris (and Tea-Time, too)
    It’s now the end of March in Paris, France. The flowers have been blooming for a number of weeks, while the leaves on the trees have just started to fill-in.…More
  • Louis Vuitton Foundation and American Groceries in Paris
    This past week, I had the opportunity to visit two very cool places: a beautiful museum and a place to buy American groceries. Louis Vuitton Foundation: The museum was the…More
  • Having my US Degrees Recognized in France
    The French are all about degrees, certifications, and experience. Much like the US, the resume is crucial to giving a perspective employer confidence that you will be successful in a…More
  • Yves Saint Laurent at Musée D’Orsay
    My niece, Alyssa, visited me in Paris this past week. We had a wonderful week exploring the city including Musée Louvre, Musée D’Orsay, Champs-Elysées, Notre Dame, and Disneyland Paris. Musée…More
  • Early Spring in Paris
    I love Paris in the spring time… “I Love Paris” by Cole Porter I explore the “City of Light” traveling well-worn paths along the Seine river to the Hôtel de…More

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