Submitted by Hailey Lospitalier on the 2020 winter session study abroad program in Paris, France sponsored by the Department of Biological Sciences…
Applying for this program was definitely a new experience for me because going to another country not knowing anyone else is definitely out of my comfort zone. However, being here for a week, I can already tell this is one of the best decisions I have made so far. Living in an apartment near the Eiffel Tower is something that seemed so unrealistic and now it is a normal aspect of our walk to class, and it is absolutely breathtaking. For the first three nights in a row we went there and watched it sparkle and just sat there in awe at how amazing it actually is.
Attempting to immerse ourselves in the French culture has been tough in some ways because there is a clear difference between the people here and in the United States. One of the more difficult aspects is the concept of lunch. In our cultural adaptation meeting, we learned that they like to take their time and sit and people watch while they eat, whereas I feel we are more used to getting food to go and eat it quickly before returning to class. Forcing myself to sit down and order a hot coffee (which I have never had, yes, I know it’s weird) and order a sandwich I wouldn’t normally try made me feel good about myself for branching out and trying to live like a Parisian.
Although I want to travel on the weekends to get a feel for all of Europe, I have come to realize that there is so much to see here and at times it becomes overwhelming. Besides the touristy places like the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, and Arc de Triomphe there are so many gardens, markets and historical places that I am looking forward to seeing. It’s impossible to see it all because we have class most of the day, but I’m determined to make it work because this is one of those “once in a lifetime” opportunities that I am so lucky to have and I want to make the best of it.
