Skip to content

Tag: GW Paris

Published on

By bevvy2212

As I am swarmed with papers and finals these coming two weeks, it is also scary how fast the semester came winding down. It didn't hit me till today that my finals are next week. When most of my American friends are celebrating thanksgiving, I'll be over here slaving over school stuff. So I have decided to write a few pieces of advice I have for those who are planning on studying abroad in the future. (If that idea hasn't popped up in your head already, I strongly recommend you to consider it, starting now.)

I am writing this blog post in the center of Paris, an Atlantic away, so behold these words of wisdom about study abroad, young Padawans.

 

  • Keep your options open.

GW offers so many options for studying abroad, whether it be direct enroll or partnering up with another organization (IES, CIEE etc). Keep your options open because, as in the case of myself, I had a very rigid plan on where I wanted to go. I took AP French in high school so naturally, I thought I’d go to France for a semester, not to mention the institute (SciencesPo) that I’m enrolled in is rumored to be “The Harvard of Europe”. However, during the summer of my Freshman year, I went to Spain on a whim to study Spanish, and I just fell in love with the culture and the language. But I never took my mind off of going to Paris. It has always been France France France. Up until about two months before my arrival in Paris, I started seriously contemplating about studying abroad in a Spanish speaking country. But at that point, it was too late. I am not saying I’m not enjoying my time in Paris, as I munch on my pain au chocolate, but just bear in mind that maybe there are other alternatives to your study abroad destinations.

 

  • Plan Ahead

First off, tickets are A LOT cheaper if you buy them earlier, needless to say. Second of all, if you’re planning on going to a country that’s a little bit different than the western world, it might do you well to brush up on some of the cultural aspects of that country. Just because you are a foreigner doesn’t mean you can disregard the local social norm. Thirdly, look around the region in where you’re studying abroad. Perhaps you might like to do some traveling around after your program is over?

 

  • It’s ok when things don’t go as planned.

You’re in a foreign land, stuff happens, plans fall through, expectations are not met. Stay loose and just be adaptable. When I first arrived in Paris, I’d expected more people to speak English just because it’s a capital full of tourists but they don’t. After being in America for so long, it’s really easy to forget that most of your friends here did not learn English the “street way” and they will literally look up towards the sky as if a meteor is approaching if you ask them, “What’s up?”. It’s ok. Go with the flow and be understanding. Just like if my French friends suddenly come up to me with a bunch of street slangs, I’d be freaked out too.

 

  • Prioritize and make goals.

Before you leave, make some goals on what you plan to achieve while you’re abroad. Are you simply there for the fun and kicks? Are you there to experience the vigorousness of academic intensity and to challenge your intellectual capacity? Are you there to become fluent in the language? I found it very helpful to keep in mind the reason why I have came to Paris, and would like to promptly kick myself when these goals have failed to materialize. (I planned to become fluent in French, so far I can order croissants at restaurants. #progress)

 

  • Treasure it

Yes, you will get home sick. You will miss your friends back home when everyone around you is squabbling in a language that you don’t understand, but hey, when are you ever going to spend 5 months in a foreign land in the foreseeable future? Even if you disliked your study abroad experience at the time being (if you’re someone like me who likes to be cynical and complains a lot just for the sake of complaining), you will still miss being abroad once you have returned. I know I will.

Published on

By bevvy2212

One of the good things about writing a blog is that it prompts me to go out and explore. This past Tuesday was November 11th and a national holiday in France, so there was no school. I took the advantage to explore Musée des égouts, namely the sewage system of Paris. Fun side note, Victor Hugo was good friends with the sewage designer back then, so he knew a lot but the Parisian sewage system and Jean Valjean from Les Miserables used the sewage as a hiding place.

The museum is near the RER stop Pont de l'alma. Ticket was about 3.60 euros for students. The smell... was a bit atrocious even at the entrance. I have some really dull senses so the smell wasn't that bad for me. My friend on the other hand was about to faint. According to her, "I was lucky enough not to die from the Beijing poisonous smog and now I land myself in the sewers of Paris." So think before you go.

It was quite an interesting experience and a bit confusing/gross at times. The Parisian sewage system is the only one of its kind in the world, made up of 2100 km of sewers that can be inspected and really well constructed (since Paris is so big), so it's really hard to imagine how it all began on the Cité Island where Notre Dame sits. Yes, the original Paris was that big. An Island. People used to take water from the Seine and dump their wastes back into the Seine, a bit un-sanitary if you ask me. But since the population was small enough back then, it was still under the Seine's capacity to purify the water. As the city grew, water became an urgent concern. Fountains and aqueducts were built to introduce fresh water into the city but the waste water still flowed into the Seine, example of how not to build a sustainable living city. But then again, drastic circumstances calls for drastic actions, which was the main motivation for refining the Parisian sewage system to how it is today. As we were walking inside the Museum, we could actually see the sewage water and the grimy stuff that was floating on the surface. Definitely quite the experience, but not sure if I would recommend that to anyone.

After that, we walked over to the Eiffel Tower because it's right around the corner. It's probably one of the most touristic things one can do in Paris and I've put it off for so long. Walking up the Eiffel Tower is still on my bucket list, not sure if I will be able to cross that off during this time I'm at Paris, but then again, more the reason for returning to Paris, right? We took the elevator to the second viewing deck, and switched elevators to go to the top. You have to have a ticket to the summit, otherwise you will be turned away at the door after being in line for two hours. The people in front of us found this out the hard way.

I love cities by nights. I think it offers a very different view. I haven't been to the top at night so it was definitely an awesome/freezing experience to see Paris at night. No pictures can do it justice, truly. They offer champaign in a brightly lit cup at the top of the tower. Applications are now open for those who would like to buy me a drink at the top of the Eiffel Tower, limited time offer, snatch it up before it's gone.

So from one of the lowest point of Paris to the highest point, as above, so below.

Published on

By mcbitter

10805259_10205383992308083_416554692_nI know it's only mid-November, but that doesn't mean I can't get excited for Christmas! This weekend, my friends and I went to the Christmas markets on the Champs-Elysees, and let me tell you, they know how to do a market! On each side of the avenue were little shops full of handmade crafts, jewelry, ornaments, you name it. I found one particular shop that was different kinds of tea, all of which were named for various cities in France. Besides the shops, there were also tons of food booths set up - you could get crepes, waffles, German sausages, even cotton candy! It was absolutely wonderful and a great way to spend an afternoon. After walking through the shops (we only did half of them so that we can go back again!), we went for a ride on on the "grand roue de Paris" - the ferris wheel! It gave spectacular views of the city and was well worth the ten euros. Next time, I also want to check out the ice rink that was nearby.

Speaking of holidays, Thanksgiving is coming up, right? As sad as it is, you can't find this gem of a holiday outside of the United States, so that's probably why France is already focusing so heavily on Christmas. (Or that might just be the norm now.) We have a Thanksgiving dinner planned with our program though, so I'll definitely get my turkey! As for all the other traditional favorites, there are quite a few specialty food stores around the city that offer them - stuffing, cranberry sauce, the works. This will be my first Thanksgiving away from home, but everyone here has become my family too, so I have no doubt that it'll be wonderful!

Published on

By bevvy2212

cat 1For those of you who don't know me already, (and those of you who are going to know this about me very soon,) I'm that crazy cat lady that's gonna have 40 cats and knit sweaters for each of them when I'm 80. So... you can imagine how fulfilling it was for me to visit the Cat café in Paris yesterday. Pretty much internally combusting the whole time. Seriously, I have longed for a touch of the cats since I left my own kitty three months ago. This obsession is kind of a problem. On a completely random side note, did y'all know there is a cat park in Lima, Peru? Like, cats just roam around and chill there like it's their hood? Yeah, favorite place on Earth.

There are two cat cafés in Paris. One is in Le Marais (4th arrondissement) and the other is near Bastille in the 11th. The one in the 4th is more well-known, thus requires reservation and such. We went around 12:30pm, which was a good time to go because the cafe opens around noon and the cats are usually still lounging around if you go earlier. Later towards the day they kind of get tired of people and disappear downstairs.Cat 2

The café itself was very quaint and clean. You see cats everywhere, lounging, sitting on people's laps, stealing food (which was not allowed). The waiter told us the rules when we first entered. Apparently we can't disturb the cat, like if a cat is sitting on a chair, that's his chair, we can't just re-locate him somewhere else. We can't forcefully pick up the cat if the cat doesn't want it. (consensual pick up?) We can't feed the cat because they follow a very strict diet. (Though from the size of the cats there, I presume they sneak in a bite here and there). The cats are mostly adopted from an animal shelter or rescued from the streets. There were information on each cat and their lives before being adopted by the cat café. As a cat lover, it really breaks my heart to see how a lot of them had been abandoned or mis-treated really badly by their former hosts. I never understand why anyone would do that.

Cat 3The food was mediocre. Nothing too outstanding. Though I highly recommend the planche vegetarian. The salsa and the guacamole was to die for. Their quiche looked pretty enticing too. But again, i have the tendency to order the wrong thing and mooch off of others.
During the time that we were there, I picked up a kitty and he wouldn't stop clawing at my food. Eventually he got two pieces of potatoes on to the floor. As I was about to bend down and pick up the potatoes (so the cats don't eat them). The kitty snagged one away from me and bolted into a far corner of the room. He was like, HA HA stupid human, peace out! Too bad, I thought it was love, but he only used me for food.

So, in case international affairs and security policy doesn't pan out, cat café is my destiny.

Cat 4

Published on

By mcbitter

One of my favorite things about Paris is simply how beautiful it is. The French love their city's detailing, like cast iron balconies, tree-lined streets, and green space. Basically, anywhere you look is a perfect photo for Instagram, even if it's just a random apartment building.

Arguably, one of the most important influences making Paris what it is today was a man named Georges-Eugène Haussmann. In the 1850's, Haussmann was hired by Napoleon III to reorganize the layout of Paris. Prior to his involvement, it was an incredibly crowded, dangerous, and unhealthy place to live. Streets were narrow and dark, there was no waste removal system, and population density only added to the problems. So, Haussmann started by creating large boulevards throughout the city, the most well-known of which is the Avenue des Champs-Élysées. My school here in Paris, Sciences Po, is actually located on one of these large boulevards right next to the Seine, the Boulevard Saint-Germain. Haussmann also put lights on these streets (they don't call it the City of Lights for nothing!) to make it safer, and built new sewer tunnels to combat the rampant disease.

All of these contributions are very important, but when I think of Haussmann, I think of the "Haussmann building." This building, which is usually apartments, is easy to recognize because of its uniform exterior. They were usually built with cream colored stone, with a mansard-style roof, and had balconies on the second and fifth floors. (Keep in mind that the French have a ground floor and then a first floor, so second and fifth is really third and sixth for us!) Although Paris is really expensive now, these buildings were meant to house families of different economic backgrounds under one roof. For example, wealthy families would live on the second floor, or the "étage noble," because it wasn't on the street level but didn't involve too many stairs, either (there were no elevators back then!). On the other hand, the very top floor had individual rooms ("chambres des bonnes") and was occupied by servants of these wealthy families who lived below them.

Overall, Haussmann changed the face of Paris for centuries to come. Unfortunately, he had a number of critics as well, many of whom complained that his architecture was too uniform and that he was overtaking the city with construction. This resulted in his dismissal in 1870, though his work continued for many years after.

Published on

By bevvy2212

unnamed (1)In the spirits of Halloween, my friend and I decided to go visit the infamous Catacombs of Paris. It has always been on the top of my to-do-list since the previous two times I have visited Paris, I missed out the opportunity to check this supposedly spooky place so, why not do it during one of the scariest weekend of the year?

The Catacombs (Les Catacombs in French), is located in the 14th arrondisement in Paris, metro stop is Denfert Rochereau (Line 6.) We got there at around 12:30pm and the line was already all the way around the park. Probably because it was Sunday. The wait was ... hideous. We basically stood in line for almost four hours, so definitely remember to bring a book with you to avoid death from boredom. However, I did made tremendous progress in my Gender Equality in the Welfare States book while waiting in line <-- Another reason why you gotta love the city: the wait is so insanely long that it makes you very productive.

The ticket was 8 euros with a student ID and 3 euros extra if you want an audio guide. After that, it was down to the underworld we go.

After winding stairs which seemed to be forever long, we landed in a small room that had a few descriptions of the Parisian underground and how the place was first used as a quarry. P.S., if you're claustrophobic, this is probably not your thing. We walked through a lot of winding tunnels that were quite cramped. Also, don't wear heals, or you'd probably die in case if something starts chasing after you. Jk, but seriously. No heels. (Because you'd probably hit the roof if you're taller than 5'11)

unnamed
"Arrete! C'est ici l'empire de la mort” The entrance to the catacombs

The quarry walk took a while, long enough to made me doubt whether I had really signed up to visit the massive human grave of Paris. Then, there it was, the gate to the Underworld. It had a plaque over it in French, saying: stop, here is the empire of the dead. Too bad, movin' on.

The view once you enter, was quite stunning. The amount of skulls and shin bones that were neatly piled up was un-imaginable. I had once been to the Catacomb in Lima, Peru, and that one looked like a tiny playground in comparison to this sprawling underground maze. Approximately six million people were buried in the Catacombs because during the Bubonic Plague, too many people were dying that they had nowhere to put them but underground. Then later in the 17th century, someone decided to make a neat pile of them and voila. The French took after the Roman Catacombs in terms of naming their own Empire of the Dead, and I'm very excited to visit the one in Rome when my program ends in December.

unnamed (2)While we were down in the tunnel, I heard this ruffling sound coming from beside me and I peered into the piles of bones and saw nothing. The ruffling sound kept on moving along with me and out of instinct, I jumped a mile away from my friend who was walking next to me, nearly falling onto another pile of bones in the process. My friend looked at me with bewilderment: "Bev the heck are you doing?". "Shh.... I hear a ghost I think." She then raised her plastic bag, which was the source of the ruffling sound. Ok. Not a ghost.

unnamed (3)
Setting for the concert of Mozart’s Funeral March.

We then reached a spot where they once held a concert there and played Mozart's Funeral March, how wicked cool is that?!

Later when we exited, the workers asked us to open our bags for them to check, in case we have stolen some bones from the Catacombs coz you know, I'd love to give some 700 hundred-year-old bones as house-warming gifts.

Published on

By mcbitter

It's pretty much a crime to live in Paris and not love their food, right? Good thing I am all about the French cuisine! Here are a few of my favorite things to eat in Paris.

  • Pain au chocolat. This little treat is flakey like a croissant but has little bits of chocolate inside. It's usually for breakfast, though it makes a good snack, too. I am a huge chocolate lover, so I'm glad that no one can judge me here for having chocolate for breakfast!
  • Baguette sandwiches. On campus, there are a few dining areas with student prices for lunch. They offer an array of different sandwiches, and the majority of them are on baguettes (obviously!). The Parisienne is the simplest, with just ham and butter; they also have poulet crudites (chicken pieces and veggies), jambon crudites (ham and veggies or salad), a caprese, and then a few veggie-only options.
  • Mousse au chocolat. Back to the chocolate! This is probably my favorite dessert of all time, not just in France, so it's good that I'm in the place that makes it best! Mousse au chocolat is very rich so you can't have it all the time, but when you do, it's a perfect way to end a meal. I had a friend visiting Paris last weekend, and we got mousse at the restaurant we went to for dinner.

I'm currently on break and am visiting Prague with some other students from my program, so we've been enjoying a lot of traditional Czech dishes too - sausage, roast beef, goulash, bread dumplings - but I'm looking forward to getting back to my French food soon!

Published on

By mcbitter

During my time here in Paris, I’ve been able to check out academics at not only Sciences Po but also at my friend’s university in Lille, France (I visited the campus and sat through her constitutional law class). Experiencing both these schools has made me realize that there are some things people back at home might wonder about school in France!

Do Sciences Po students have an equivalent to dreaded all-nighters at Gelman?

  • Yes and no. The library on campus (which is full ALL the time) is only open until about 9:30 pm on weeknights, which we were all stunned to discover! The French students have told me that when they have a ton of work, they just go home at the end of the day to finish it (and yes, they do have those late nights too).

What are French classes like?

  • What I’ve heard is that the typical French style of teaching is a professor lecturing at you for two hours. This was exactly what happened during my friend’s constitutional law class in Lille. I’m not sure if I would be able to stand that - thankfully there’s a lot of interaction in all of my classes!
  • Another important part of classes at Sciences Po is the exposé. Here’s how I understand it. In about a half hour’s presentation, you’re working off a discussion question (the “problematique”) given to you by a professor. You have to give your opinion, frame your argument, and provide evidence to back it up. You can also engage the class in discussion after you’re finished. I have an exposé slotted for mid-November, so we’ll see how it goes!

What are professor-student relationships like in France?

  • The French students in my program are absolutely amazed at how personal American students are with their professors! French students don’t really know much about their professors aside from the material that their teaching. My GW marketing professor (hi Professor Maddox!) demonstrated the exact opposite of this, as she would give examples from her daily or personal life to add to whatever we were talking about in class. Professors still provide letters of recommendation and such for their students, but overall, the two groups are very distanced.

Overall, it’s been really cool to see the differences between colleges in the States and in France. I’ve still got a month and a half to go though, so I’m bound to discover more!

Published on

By bevvy2212

I am proud to say that after being in France for 51 days, I have finally successfully done my own laundry…. Sad, really. (I am not an un-hygienic person, it’s just the previous times, my roommate did it for me, so this time, it was my turn.)

Two things that I have learned in life thus far regarding laundry services is 1) Don’t complain. 2) Don’t tempt fate. Back in high school, I complained about spending a dollar, think about it, a whole dollar, on washing and drying. So I waved my fist angrily at fate, I dare you to give me worse laundry conditions. And fate promptly gave me college, where I now have to spend three dollars on washing and drying. Again, I thought to myself, watch me tempt fate, because it can’t get worse than this. (Mind you, I said it in a sarcastic tone, so it shouldn't count.) But fate did not disappoint, it sent me to a public Laundromat.

To be clear, I’m a selective germaphobe. I might be messy sometimes but when it comes to germs lathered on the clothes that’s touching my skin? Unacceptable. Which was why I put off doing laundry for a while because hey, at least it’s my own germs, not the germs of the entire Paris city being swished around in a washing machine. But eventually I caved, hence the outcome of this post.

I took a suitcase to the Laundromat while dressed like a hobo, because I had absolutely nothing else to wear and a toga would be too scandalous. Laundry here is expensive! Depending how much clothes you have, you select the washing machine ranging from 3kg to over 10kg, and they differ in prices. First you put your clothes in. Then you remember the number of your machine and go over to the paying machine. You key in your number, and it will tell you how much to pay. You pay, then you return to the washing machine, flip open the lid on top and pour detergent into the little containers. Start the machine and voila. It might look simple but to be honest, it took me a while to get everything going, especially since when everything was in French. 60k education per year and can’t properly operate in a Laundromat, Greeaat.

The wait took about 40 minutes. I just took some work with me and sat around inside the Laundromat because I was too lazy to go back to my studio. The drying cycle actually took a lot less time than back at GW. It was one euro per cycle and the wait was 20 minutes. So after spending 8 euros and fumbling around like a fool, I now have clean clothes. Fresh like a bunny.

Published on
IMG_5018
Cathedral in Lille

This weekend was the first of several that I'm anticipating this semester. Although I could have traveled to another country (which is absolutely mind boggling, still), I was very fortunate to be able to visit my friend, who lives in Lille (in the north of France). I can't wait to tell you about it!

Upon arrival, I explored downtown by myself for a bit. At the heart of the city is Le Grand Place, a huge, bustling square with restaurants, hotels, and shops lining its edges. There, you'll find the Opera, the Vieille Bourse (or the Old Stock Exchange), and the city's bell tower. Just a few minutes' walking will take you to their cathedral, which is called Notre Dame de la Treille, or to their arm museum, Le Palais des Beaux Arts. I also fell in love with a bookstore there called Le Furet du Nord - basically eight floors of any book you'll ever need!

After exploring, I met up with my friend for lunch at a place near her campus. She studies at Lille 2, a university specifically for law. I also got to attend one of her law classes, which was basically two hours of the professor lecturing at 300 students... with zero interaction from the class. This teaching style is typical of French university classes, and I'm very glad that I don't have to deal with it at GW!

IMG_5026
Palais des Beaux Arts

To get around Lille, we either walked or used the metro system. In contrast with the Parisian metro (or even the one in DC), this one only had two lines! Furthermore, each metro only had two cars for passengers. Despite being France's 5th largest city, this kind of illustrates how small the city actually is by American standards (of a large city, that is). There are a large number of students who live there, and my friend described it as the best French city for students. In fact, the university I'm at in Paris - SciencesPo - has a campus in Lille, as well.

Overall, Lille was a wonderful break from the fast city life in Paris. Tomorrow it's back to classes though, so we'll see where this next week goes!

Unless otherwise indicated, the content and opinions expressed on this web site are those of the author(s). They are not endorsed by and do not necessarily reflect the views of the George Washington University.
Privacy Notice
Viewing Message: 1 of 1.
 Notice

This site uses cookies to offer you a better browsing experience. Visit GW’s Website Privacy Notice to learn more about how GW uses cookies.