Submitted by Melody Taylor on the 2013 fall semester program in London, England…
While I have loved London so far, I decided to go to Paris for the weekend with Proscenium Tours who caters to study abroad students in London. Ever since I was a little girl, I had dreamed of going to Paris.
The tour was lovely. They booked your travel and accommodation. A tour guide was available to show us how to work the Metro and to give advice on what to do while showing us a couple of the major sites (Notre Dame, the Louvre, and the Montmartre District), while giving you ample free time to explore the city on your own, and focusing on the sites that attract you the most.
It was fantastic being able to explore another city in Europe and compare it to London. Paris had a different attitude towards life than London. London is quirkier and more of a melting pot, but anti-social unless there is a pub involved. However, Paris was very individualistic, and filled with cafes were people watching is an acceptable art form. What surprised me the most was how dirty and unsafe it was, compared to London. I still loved it to bits. It was great to be able to experience a different culture, and I wanted to stay longer to explore more, but by the end of the trip, I was missing London and its eccentric qualities.