Bonjour - Welcome to Paris!

During our adventures abroad the time in London has come to an end and Paris is the new city that has greeted me!

Once again I find myself exploring a totally new world and this time with the added factor of a language barrier. So far Paris has been full of laughter and beauty all around that doesn’t fail to amaze me everyday I step out of my quaint Parisian apartment.

The people here are very kind and seemingly used to American students being clueless when navigating but still offer a warm welcome. From the changes to the transportation, housing, food and classes this is an entirely new experience starting now on week 6 of our travels.

Upon arriving in Paris by train, our group schlepped the bags to our new accommodations. I found myself living in the 15th arrondissement, a quiet residential area that has morning markets and flower shops on every corner. Our view is something from a story with traditional Parisian style apartments full of warm light. At night if you are lucky you can even see the light of the Eiffel Tower swaying back and forth just behind the building in front of our kitchen window. 

To my surprise Paris is extremely easy to get around with a very reliable metro system and smaller areas to explore. Our first adventure as a class was the river cruise which highlighted some of France's most memorable places. The first week here was the perfect time to explore with beautiful sunny weather that complimented a perfect day spent outside.

Our beautiful view

This new chapter has really met my European lifestyle expectations that are incredible to witness on the daily. It has made me think differently about how myself and others live back at home where everything seems so rushed. If there is one thing Paris's culture has taught me already, it is to sit down and relax a bit. Rather than running into Starbucks or going to a drive through to get your morning coffee as quickly as possible, here you sit and visit with others. You are not rushed, you enjoy your coffee and the people around you. It's the small things like this that have made me learn to take in every moment around me, even if that moment is just another random coffee on a Monday. 

Classes here are very similar to London yet the art in Paris never ends. Not only do you find some of the most famous works such as the Mona Lisa which our class got to see on week one, but the architecture in this city is a constant reminder of its rich history.

With a day visit to the Old Paris Opera house, I was able to get a glimpse into what life looked like for the people before us and just how important visual beauty was in every aspect of life. Between the fashion and styles of design, even still to this day Paris holds up to its high standards of elegance within daily life. There is so much more to come with this city and program and I am overjoyed to keep on learning about the world that surrounds me.