Submitted by Gabrielle Distefano on the 2019 winter session study abroad program in Paris, France sponsored by the Department of Fashion and Apparel Studies…
After months of preparing for my program, the day finally came to catch my flight to Paris. An 8 hour flight sounds grueling, but surprisingly not so bad, especially if you have movies to keep you occupied like I did! After arriving in Paris at 8:00 a.m., we all were a little tired, but excited to get to the city. We started the day by exploring the flea market in order to fight off jet-lag and start our day. Everyone in the group was desperate to stay awake so everyone got espresso from a popular restaurant near the market. The flea market was filled with so many cool finds like old photographs, vintage clothing, art pieces, etc. Next, we enjoyed a traditional French lunch, and of course, we were given snails to try – they were not horrible! Finishing out the first day, everyone was exhausted so we went back to our apartments right after lunch and relaxed the rest of the night.
The majority of this week has been spent on group tours to museums, getting to know our surroundings, having lectures, and eating lots of food! So far, my favorite museum trip was to Fragonard, a perfume museum. It was so interesting to learn about the different aspects that go into one perfume and how it is made. Another favorite of mine was our trip to Versailles. It was so beautiful!
I have also explored all of the major parts of the city like the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, Champs Elysees, the Louvre, Versailles, along with tons of shopping. I am so excited to keep exploring and can’t wait to see what Fashion Week has to offer!
