Paris? Mais Oui!

By mekaylatucker

Bonjour à tous!!!

As you know I am currently in the city of lights with the GW Paris program. I knew I wanted to be in this program because for me, the chance to study at Sciencespo was always a dream of mine. It is truly an amazing experience to be able to learn alongside my French peers and really immerse myself within the French culture and…education system. This means that I don’t have the typical “light” course work load that is synonymous with studying abroad, but it does challenge me and gives me a new way of looking at not only my world but the world around me.

On most days, I travel from my apartment in the 14éme to Sciencespo which is in the 7éme and on other days I am always near or at tourist attractions. There is so much more to Paris than just the tourist areas. That is way I am trying to really branch out when it comes to volunteer opportunities, I want to see parts that are not the “typical” Paris. Venturing out to a community that may be out of the way and out of my comfort zone is so key because it will help me grow and that’s what study abroad is all about.

 I am currently looking at volunteer opportunities where I have to put my French skills to the test and put myself out there. I have narrowed my search to two! SOS Help which is a listening team made up entirely of volunteers. The volunteers get trained by professional psychologists, who provide continued training and support, but who do not work on the line. The volunteers are trained to listen to people, and not to judge, label or diagnose them.

 My other option is Serve The City: Paris, which was recently founded in 2015 with the hope of helping those in desperate need of food, clothing, shelter. Volunteers collect ready-to-eat meals from partner organizations and pass these meals out to Parisians in need. Both of these are super awesome!

 Stayed tuned for my next blog to see which one I pick!

 À Bientôt!

 Mekayla