Skip to content

Tag: Paris

Published on

By kennatim

image1 (2)A couple weeks ago I traveled to Paris to visit my friend Lars, who is studying at the American University of Paris. It was actually to be my second time in the city, as I went with a student group in 2005 when I was 11 years old. 10 years later, I found myself touching down once again, this time alone on a crowded Ryanair flight.

I unfortunately don’t remember much about my first trip, but I do remember a general feeling of unease about the city itself. I had an amazing weekend, but traveling around full of déjà vu moments made me understand why preteen Tim was not in love with Paris. The city is remarkably enormous, and the average Parisian seems to spend most of their time on the metro. There was also less of an understanding and less patience by the locals for tourists and foreigners. This culture, the type where no one says “excuse me” when you bump into each other, contrasted US culture in many, many ways. It sort of made me appreciate where I came from. It definitely made me realize how big our world is and how, even in the Internet Age when many US customs have been adopted around the world, there are still many places where your social mores get thrown out the window for native ones.

Aside from my small gripes, the city was beautiful. I got to take in all the sites: Notre Dame, Sacre Coeur, Champs Elysees, the Louvre, the Arc de Triomphe, and I even took an awesome photo on the top of the Eiffel Tower to replicate one I took ten years prior. I would be walking down the street and suddenly think, “Wow, I remember this. Our tour bus was parked right there.” The weather made Dublin look like the Arctic Circle, and I would not have been anywhere without my incredible tour guide and, more importantly, translator, Lars. I tried some delicious duck, ate too many baguettes and croissants to count, and even got to check out some 50,000 Euro watches at the Louis Vuitton store.

It really takes the experience of a contrasting culture and set of attitudes to realize that your own culture is not simply the norm. My amazing weekend in Paris proved this to me. Shout out to Lars for putting me up and showing me this large and beautiful city!

Published on

By Adaeze

One thing I miss about Gelbucks at GW is the ability to be who you want to be. Starbucks is known for being notoriously bad at names, and if you tell them your name is Bob, then your name is Bob. If you tell them your name is Jill, your name is Jill. In France, if you tell them you identify as one thing, they might correct you and tell you what you actually should identify with.

My host community has supported my identity as an American for sure. Contrary to all the false belief about how Parisians are rude and hate Americans, every French person that I’ve met has been nothing but nice and encouraging. They actually love it when I tell them that I’m American. This is kind of comforting because when I got here, I wasn’t sure how to represent myself. ...continue reading "To Be or Not to Be … Me?"

Published on

By Adaeze

It's been a few weeks here and I've gotten more accustomed to the various parts of my stay in Paris. Today, I've decided to show you all little pieces of my community abroad.

Eiffel Tower

The Eiffel Tower: This is definitely something that makes up my community abroad because I see it every single day on my way to school and on my way back. It’s meaningful to me because it’s so beautiful and somewhat comforting to know that if I’m ever lost, I really just have to follow the sight of the Eiffel and I know from there I can find my way back to my apartment. ...continue reading "Mon Communaute: A glimpse at various communities"

Published on

By Adaeze

I identify myself as Nigerian-Black-American, as I was born in Nigeria and raised in the USA with dual citizenship. My background is definitely a source of pride especially as I get older and become more aware of the high’s and low’s all sides. I love the customs and history of all three.

Being a woman of color (brown specifically), I am usually just seen as Black American. While I do claim both identities, ...continue reading "So a Nigerian-Black-American walks into a French room…"

Published on

By bevvy2212

As I wrap up my semester abroad in Paris, here is a list of the five things that I really enjoyed doing while I was in Paris. Take a look below.

1. Macaroon. Hopefully you have all heard of what a macaroon is. The most famous brand is probably Laduree, which can be found in the United States as well. But my favorite go-to brand is Pierre Hermes. I don't know if you have ever heard of it but it's like, party in your mouth. There is actually a Pierre Hermes very close to Sciences Po (next to Eglise Saint Sulpice), about a ten minute walk. Unlike the traditional flavors from Laduree, Pierre Hermes offer flavors that might sound bizarre but taste delicious at the same time. Also, they alter their flavors in accordance to seasons so I was very bummed when I returned in December to find my favorite flavors gone. For those of you getting to Paris in the fall, please, for the sake of me, try the olive and the Ceylon tea flavor. They are to die for! In december, they also have the fois gras flavor. Unconventional? I think so. Worth the money? Absolutely.

2. Skating. I know that the rink at Waterfront is pretty great, but it's nothing compared to the open-air skate rinks in Paris. Probably starting from mid December, open-air skate rinks will pop up. There's one close to Champs-Elysee, but don't go to that one, it's tiny. I heard there's also one on the Eiffel Tower, but I'm not sure how big that can be either... but how cool would that be though, skating on the Eiffel Tower? My favorite one is probably the one in side the Grande Palais. It's massive and has all sorts of different light shows at night, though it is a little bit pricey (€25). If you're looking for a moderate sized rink at a relatively cheap price, I would recommend the one near Hotel de Ville (The Town Hall). Entrance fee is only 6 euros. The nice thing about French rinks is that they have regulations on how many people are allowed on the rink at a time, so it's never too terribly crowded. The down side? You might have to cue up in the cold wind for a very long time. My advice? Don't go when it's around Christmas time because that's when Paris is flooded with tourists and people who are on break. Go sometime earlier and in the afternoon instead.

3. Fontainebleau. You have probably heard of Versailles, but that's just, way too crowded for my taste. Actually I went to Versailles in December where there were barely any tourists. It was incredible because I never expected Versailles to be empty but I walked in the gardens this time instead of just inside the palace, and it was peaceful and quiet because most tourists would just tour the inside of the palace and call it a day. Fontainebleau is another chateau near Paris and I personally prefer it better to Versailles, simply because I've been to Versailles three times already. It's a little bit harder to get to, in comparison. You'll have to take the Transillien train from Gare de Lyon. If you have a youth card, it's approx 8 euros, other wise it would be 16. After you reach Fontainebleau, you'll have to take a bus to reach the Chateaux. The rooms are just as lovely as the ones in Versailles, if not more lavish. Napolean actually preferred it more to Versailles. We went towards the end of December and there were barely anyone there, which was awesome. "All these lands are mine! mwahaha" The town of Fontainebleau is really cute too, so that's definitely a plus.

4. Canal Saint Matin. I personally prefer the canal saint Martin cruise to the conventional Seine cruise, just because the canal passes through a part of Paris that's usually less touristy. There are usually two cruises per day. The one in the morning departs near Musee D'orsay and goes to Bassin de la Villette in the 19th arrondisement. And the one in the afternoon does the vice versa. After October I think, the cruise only operates on the weekends. The area in the 19th arrondisement has a lot of quaint bars around the canal, so it's a really nice place to chill when the weather is still nice and there are also a lot of really cool little stores scattered around the neighborhood.

I really enjoyed touring Europe in winter because it's the low season and there are so much less tourists around. So I would wait around a bit when you first get to Paris if you're doing Fall Abroad because the end of august/ the beginning of september is still sort of too touristy for my taste. Lines are long and people are everywhere. Maybe wait until around end of october/ beginning of november to start doing the touristy things. (But that's also the time when Sciences Po has its midterms and exposes, keep that in mind). I stayed for a bit after my semester is over in Paris, and I was pleasantly surprised to find the touristy spots a lot less crowded than I have imagined.

Till next time, Paris!

Published on

By bevvy2212

This week I'm going to talk about a few things that study abroad has taught me. I have to admit that in the beginning of my time in Europe, I'd rather be in Madrid than Paris, so I wasn't sure I would get anything out of this experience. I think at one point, I was actually a little bit bitter because I felt like I'm not enjoying my study abroad experience as much as everyone else is. But as the program is wrapping up, I did a little reflection and I realized how much I've learned/matured throughout this four months I've been away from my comfort zone.

1. An appreciation of art. Europe is the center of art. I wouldn't say I was a brute before coming to Paris but I've definitely gone to more museums than I have previously combined during my stay in Europe. I mean, there's just so much around. Louvre, L'Orangerie, D'orsay etc are just the big names. There are countless less famous museums scattered around Paris and they don't pale out in comparison either. Churches are also one of my main things. Even though I am not a Christian myself, I admire the intricate designs whenever I encounter one, and since there are so many churches in Europe, it's really fun to compare and contrast the different styles/ epoch of the churches. I even decided to take an art history course (Italian Art and Architecture in the 16th century) once I get back to GW next semester. Also, I recently got into Dan Brown's books and since a lot of the settings of his book are based in Paris/ Italy, it was very interesting for me to go see those places in real life. Not to mention the background info that was provided in the books gave me the privilege of playing the tour guide to my friends when we go visit famous historical landmarks and made me look smarter than I actually am. *brush dust off the shoulder*

2. Embrace solitude. It's hard sometimes, studying abroad, especially if you're in the direct enroll program instead of taking collective classes at a study center. That being said, sometimes, it does get a little bit lonely when I can't find people to have dinner with. Back at GW, it was never really a problem because the probability of all my friends having prior engagements and not being able to make it to dinner is miniscule. Even with the rare occasions when this does happen, I'll just get chipotle to go and eat in my room, no big deal. Solitude enlarges itself when you're abroad in a foreign land where you can't completely master the language. I used to be terrified of being alone but  as I get myself lost in those winding European streets, I realized that solitude is ok. I just came back from a week-long solo trip in Italy and I visited this small island off of the coast of Venice called Burano, and as cheesy as it sounds, I found inner peace. It was a tiny fishing village with brightly painted houses. I walked past the tourists and into this very quiet neighborhood, and it was just me and the water and the houses, and I’ve never felt so at peace with myself at that moment. It was nice to get away sometimes, all by yourself, and just think, because most of the time we are so wrapped out with pesky little things, all cooped up in a city, that it's hard to hear ourselves think sometimes. I was able to think a lot of things through on my one-man-wolfpack trip.

3. Learn to let go. I hate letting go, albeit it be an old sweater or a friend. I just dread the feeling of losing things. I met a lot of new people here in Europe and 95% of them I'm pretty sure I will never see again in my life, even though we all parted with "oh yeah I'll come visit you for sure", we all know that's never gonna happen. There's this French friend of mine who's a really private person and doesn't have any form of social media to interact with others and during our last class together, I kind of puppy-eyed him and was like, "I'll never see you again." He shrugged, c'est la vie. And I realized, he is right, as much as I hate to admit it. Life is like a train, people get on and get off, rarely anyone will be there for you from start to finish. I made incredible friends at hostels while traveling and we had a blast, but it was like Cinderella's party, after the clock strikes 12, everything returns back to normal and we'll have to move on with life. It's a very helpless feeling, at least for me, because I can not stop the progression of time. I can not make those friends stay in my life, nor will I be able to stay for them either, so enjoy the feast while it lasts.

Published on

By bevvy2212

This upcoming week is going to be rough, seeing as how most of my finals and papers are due this week so here are a few tips for you future youngsters to avoid being snowed under seven feet of work, like me.

1. Time management. Ok, I exaggerated in the previous sentence. I do have a lot of work due this week but since I'm a little bit of a control freak so I had everything sort of planned out ahead of time. That's the key: keep a planner/calender. I don't think I need to stress the importance of having a planner as you are all probably used to doing that back at GW. The thing is, the last week here at Sciences Po generally contain some make-up class periods. Some time during the semester, if your professor had decided to cancel class, they will generally be made up during this week and the schedule does get a bit hectic because depending on the time and availability of the rooms, your make-up class might not be at the same time/room as your normal class period. So keeping a planner will definitely help you keep track of what's due on what day.

2. Some classes will have their finals during the last week of classes. Actually I think most electives and seminars do. (Hence the importance of having a planner and knowing when your classes are during this week) But the lectures usually have exams during a designated week after classes are done, kind of similar to GW. So bear that in mind when making travel plans.

3. The second half of November, starting December is generally hell-ish for a lot of the students here at Sciences Po. Exchange students generally take a lot less classes than those who are actually enrolled in the school. I have quite a number of friends who are doing their Masters at ScPo and their schedule is just, overwhelming. Whereas I am only taking six classes, they usually take up to 10 or 12. So when they say they really don't have time, it really is, because they are dying from all the work, not because they don't like you. Which brings me to my fourth point:

4. If you can, stay a little bit after your semester is done in Paris, catch up with friends who are too busy to meet up with you during finals weeks or do the things that you haven't done yet in Paris. I regret not doing as much as I could back in September/ October when I still had a lot of free time on my hands. I always thought, oh I'll have time for that later when the tourist season thins out but now I only have a week left and I have all these things on my bucket list that I have yet to cross off.

Final rant: for as much as I've complained about Paris through my #dailyrant statuses on Facebook, it is very depressing to be leaving Paris in like, a week. Especially with all the Christmas lights up and going. Paris truly is magical.

Published on

By mcbitter

It seems like just yesterday that I was writing my very first blog post - it's hard to believe that this is my last! My classes are wrapping up this week, as are my final exams, so soon I'll be leaving this wonderful city and heading back to the States. In a way, I'm ready to go home, but it's really bittersweet because I'm not sure when I'll be back. (I know I will at some point, though!) Before I leave, I'm making sure to check off a few last things that I didn't get around to visiting, like the Catacombs (which I hear are AMAZING) and an exhibition of American photographer Garry Winogrand. Overall though, while I didn't have the chance to visit every corner of the city (it is definitely too big for that), I think I've gained a thorough understanding of Paris, which became my primary goal throughout this trip.

What am I going to do once I'm back in the States? First thing on the list - after getting over my jet lag, that is - is to visit my friends and family. They've been a huge source of support right from the beginning, especially when I was homesick. Speaking from experience, homesickness abroad was a real issue for me, and it was a different animal than the kind I experienced when I first got to GW because of the time difference and not seeing family midway through at Thanksgiving or parent's weekend. All I can say is that I am eternally grateful for Skype! Also, speaking of homesickness, I will most definitely be paying a visit to two very important parts of my heart: Chipotle and Target. (Yes, I went there.) It might sound silly, but those are definitely the American things I've missed the most while I've been here. No Mexican restaurant or French store could replace either of them!

I've realized that I'm really glad that I decided to study abroad in the fall because I get to come home to the holiday season in full swing. Christmas and New Year's are bound to be amazing in Paris, but being with my friends and family is what's most important to me. Overall though, coming here for study abroad has given me incredible opportunities, and I won't soon forget that. I traveled to numerous places, including Ireland, the Czech Republic, Belgium, and different regions within France. I got to improve my French and see how French people live on a daily basis, especially when I began babysitting a little Parisian girl on some weeknights. I've made a lot of new friends from all over the world, most importantly the GW and Sciences Po students with whom I've spent the last few months. Most important, though, is that I really and truly learned a lot about myself. I know that everyone says something along those lines, but it really is true. Studying abroad has been probably the biggest challenge I've ever faced; some days were really hard, to be completely honest, but others were simply amazing. Looking back, I'm really proud of myself for taking advantage of this incredible opportunity and will definitely carry it with me for the rest of my life. So, yes, it's been a crazy ride - thanks for coming along with me!

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 mcbitter

One great thing about doing a semester abroad is that you're there long enough to get a true feeling for the city and its neighborhoods, not just the tourist attractions. (Don't get me wrong, I love the Eiffel Tower, but there's only so many times you can go!) While I've been here, I've found a few small businesses to which I'm a loyal customer. When you're living in a new place, they can really make you feel like you've made it your home!

  1. My local boulangerie, or bakery. There's at least four boulangeries within three minutes of walking from my apartment. I've made a point to try all of their baguettes though, and I have to say, the one right down the street is perfect. I've never been disappointed by their pastries either (helloooo, pain au chocolat) so I'm sticking with that one!
  2. Proxi. Oh, Proxi. So this is basically the 7/11 of France. Why am I writing about a convenience store, you might ask? Well, this is the ONE store that is open on Sundays, meaning that it's been a lifesaver for my roommates and I! (Most grocery stores in France are closed on Sundays, so if you don't have something like a Proxi near you, you're simply out of luck.) Proxi has also been the go-to place when we're craving something spontaneously like ice cream, chocolate, or any other junk food you can think of. We go there so often that the cashiers recognize us...yeah, we probably go there a bit too often.
  3. Stratto. This is the go-to for lunch between classes. They have a million baguettes sandwiches, paninis, pizza, you name it. They even have this thing called an Italian cheeseburger, which is ridiculously huge (not sure what makes it Italian, but that's okay). They also have student pricing that combines a drink with your sandwich for a discount, which is nice because food in Paris adds up quick. Stratto is also good for a quick espresso before class in the morning.

I'm going to miss these places when I head back to the States. When my family visits (they're coming in two weeks!), I'm definitely going to take them by these places - except maybe Proxi. Yeah, probably not...!

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.