CONTEXT
For this piece, I wrote an essay about a place that I remembered vividly. Rue Saint-Roch is a street in Paris, and of the few places I remember in great detail. In this personal narrative, I tell the story of what Rue Saint-Roch means to me.
ESSAY
Twice a day, morning and evening, I walked the full stretch of Rue Saint-Roch. The
Tuileries Metro station was not far, just a few steps past the perpendicular of Rue Saint-Roch and
Rue de Rivoli. I came to Paris in early July of 2016. Broken, curious, and unguided, I embarked
on a journey to find myself in La Ville Lumière. Rue Saint-Roch, a gem shrouded by towering
Parisian flats and the shimmering attractions of Rue de Rivoli, houses Parsons Paris at number
45. Quiet, narrow, and tucked in the heart of Paris, it appears to most as just a street— and I
initially thought that as well.
The duration of my stay in Paris was one month, in which I was studying fashion design
through a summer course at the school. At this point in my life, I was quite confused; I did not
know who I was meant to be. Despite my preliminary unclarity, on Rue Saint-Roch, I learned
who I was.
Everyday before and after class, Rue Saint-Roch waited for me. An ever-present lover,
Rue Saint-Roch grew to have a place in my heart. My class was strenuous, and I often turned to
Rue-Saint Roch for comfort. A cigarette escape from class on the sidewalk, a stroll to Le Jardin
du Tuileries, Rue Saint-Roch was a path to anywhere. Incidentally, Rue Saint-Roch was a path to
my future. Prior to my time spent at Parsons Paris, I had never formally studied fashion. My
daily walks to class up Rue Saint-Roch grew numerous. As they grew in number, my experience
grew with them. Every day I was altering my knowledge and doing things I had never done
before. Just like the organza dress I made at Parsons Paris, my intellect was growing in layers.
By the end of my class, I was able to think retrospectively and realize the immense shift I
experienced in my short month up and down Rue Saint-Roch.
Vivid as day I remember the moment I realized my experiences at Parsons Paris were
pivotal to my persona. I had just shared a bottle of wine with my professor on the last day of
class. Before I left class for the last time, I asked him one question:
“Do you think is this what I’m meant to be doing?”
“Most definitely.”
That assurance from someone I admired and respected so much granted me some deeply
needed confidence. Down the six flights of stairs and out on to Rue Saint-Roch I walked to light
my cigarette. Perched on the curb next to a skinny french woman in a knee length red wrap dress,
my mind was ablaze with my cigarette— so many thoughts shifting in and out of my head. Prior
to this day I had never thought of myself capable of pursuing my dreams. Looking at all I had
accomplished in my class at Parsons Paris, with a sense of extra equanimity given by my
professor, I was sure that I was doing what I was meant to do. There, on Rue Saint-Roch, I
realized I had just begun my life.
On Rue Saint-Roch I sat, cigarette in hand, with tears rolling down my face. The air was
crisp and fresh. As I made fresh air less fresh with each puff of my cigarette, I thought about how
I had ended up there. How the hell did I end up in Paris, on Rue Saint-Roch, at age 17, figuring
out an existential crisis? I realized the world I lived in was quite peculiar; the privileges that had
gotten me to this place, the ideologies that carried me through my learning at the school all
culminated in a cigarette and a couple of tears on Rue Saint-Roch.
Through all the convoluted pathways that have brought me to terms with my innerbeings,
the only one that resonates substantially is my path on Rue Saint-Roch. A street. A
cobblestoned, archaic street, known to many, but only truly known by me. My Rue Saint-Roch is
clarity; it is affirmation of my soul, it is understanding of my true philosophies. Rue Saint-Roch
taught me who I was. Endless hours of comprehension at Parsons Paris, and the most memorable
lesson I learned was not taught by any professor. My memory of Rue Saint-Roch gives me
constant assurance of who I am. For that, I am forever indebted to the enlightened street of Saint-
Roch.
The street itself grew to have a defined place in my heart, but to millions of others, it has
a completely different meaning. Singularity does not exist when examining the meaning of a
place. My Rue Saint-Roch is ever different than the woman in the red wrap dress. Her Rue Saint-
Roch is ever different that the man she was speaking with on the phone. Every place we
encounter find a unique place in our minds. I had walked Rue Saint-Roch prior to going to
Parsons Paris, and not until after my experiences in July of 2016 did the street transform in my
mind. I now only see the street for what it is to me, which I am perfectly fine with. The realism
of that place is of no interest to me; I thrive solely off of my memories at that location. My
memories may not deliver an accurate depiction of what the street is, but it delivers what the
street is to me.
I do not think there is anywhere in the world that holds such sentiment with me as Rue
Saint-Roch. I feel ever grateful to have known a place that altered me so much. Having found
myself on Rue Saint-Roch, the memories of identity are ones that consistently affect my every
action. From Rue Saint-Roch, I have built an internal empire. A empire of understanding, of
intense love, of my life. These memories have built who I am. I have grown, I am still growing,
from the memories I have in Rue Saint-Roch. The immense impact a solitary place has been able
to have on my whole persona astounds me. Rue Saint-Roch will forever be a cornerstone of my
life. And where will the street bring me next?
REFLECTION
With this piece, I developed my skills of remembrance. To recall a place in such detail is not an easy feat, let alone writing it down on paper. I learned how to write in a descriptive manner about a place in this piece. This connected to other parts of the course because it was really the first instance where we dove into personal writing/discussing. This helped open doors to the following projects. A challenge for this piece was accurately describing Rue Saint-Roch in a manner which I found satisfying.
