As I have been preparing for my year in Paris, I have also been reflecting on the times I have spent in France in my recent past.  I can go on for hours talking about the architecture of France and the multitude of cathedrals and museums I have visited out of personal interest.  However, for those who are neither francophiles nor architecture enthusiasts, I find it difficult to engage my listener, who often struggles to connect to my passions although he or she certainly acknowledges my enthusiasm.  Can one truly do Notre-Dame de Paris justice when describing the cathedral to one who has never seen its grandeur?  Can one successfully capture the feeling of wandering through the streets of Paris and translate such an experience into something that resembles a "five-minute pitch?"  I say no, especially considering the profusion of books written on just these two subjects.  Yet, I have found that every listener can be easily captivated by a certain subject, one that anyone and everyone can relate to: ice cream.