Submitted by Jordyn Levison on the 2014 spring semester study abroad program in London, England…
Last weekend, my roommates and I traveled to Paris for our first weekend out of London. It was an exhausting trip because we took an 8-hour bus to get there, but once we arrived it was absolutely incredible. We rented out an entire apartment for the five of us in a quaint neighborhood that happened to be situated in a wholesale clothing district. Each morning for breakfast, we went to this adorable little patisserie and got chocolate croissants and cappuccinos. We did so much sightseeing—the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, L’arc de Triomphe, Champs Elysees, Notre Dame, and so much more. We even went on a Ferris wheel that overlooked the entire city centre.
I also forced myself to try escargot, or snails, at a French café…and they were delicious! Although communication with the locals was a little challenging (as I only remembered a handful of French phrases), the French were very accommodating and polite.
My favorite part of the trip was getting to go to Disneyland Paris for a day. Since I haven’t been to Disneyworld in 13 years, it was awesome getting to revisit such a beloved place—and in Europe nonetheless! The resort encompassed two theme parks: Walt Disney Studios and the original Disneyland Park. Disneyland Park had everything from It’s A Small World to Space Mountain to Pirates of the Caribbean, while Walt Disney Studios had the bigger coasters like Rock’n Rollercoaster and Tower of Terror. We stayed until closing and bought some souvenirs to bring back to our friends in the States. Overall, Paris was one of the most memorable weekends I’ve had since I left for my study abroad program!
