From Brussels to Barcelona and Amsterdam to Rome. A couple of hours by train is all it takes to travel from one country to another. Our weekends consist of booking last-minute trips to neighboring countries and putting together enough money to book hostels for struggling college students. Somehow it never… read more
Paris, “Je T’Aime” and Leaving Home
After years of planning and hours upon hours of packing, I am in Paris, France. I have been anticipating my study abroad experience for the past three years. Even before then, for the longest time, it had been my dream to go abroad. My mother had studied in Ireland, which is… read more
A Move to Paris
A fear of leaving home, of language barriers, of making new friends and of meeting new people. Every single day. These are a few fears that would overtake me before I moved abroad. When I arrived in Paris, I had never been more eager and scared at the same time.… read more
Romancing My Solitude, the Parisian Way
I must admit: My last blog post was written in the thick of my Parisian honeymoon phase. Three months in, I now have a more grounded perspective on living abroad and the challenges associated with it. One challenge that I’ve been facing lately is feeling lonely. My boyfriend and I… read more
Wishing for a Fig in Winter
Still life has been my favorite genre of art since childhood. I’d like to think it was the first time I deeply resonated with the power of metaphor in art. However, at the time, I hadn’t entirely pieced together why I was so fascinated by an unassuming, gilded-framed depiction of… read more
On Perspective and Gratitude: Carrying This Practice Into Study Abroad
There are many aspects of studying and living abroad in Paris that I feel are directly shifting pieces of me. There are bits, like how I carry myself walking down the street and how much I sense my heightened independence, which I can directly note as having transformed in these… read more
My Semester in Paris, the Birthplace of Cabaret
Four weeks ago today, I dragged three overstuffed bags up four flights of stairs and dropped into a new life. After catching my breath, I took it all in: This cute apartment in historic Montmartre, the birthplace of cabaret, would be my new home for the foreseeable future. Delighted and… read more
Paradoxes Can Coexist
“I am washing my face before bed while a country is on fire. It feels dumb to wash my face and dumb not to. It has never been this way and it has always been this way. Someone has always clinked a cocktail glass in one hemisphere as someone loses… read more
Le Début
My study abroad experience in Paris is markedly divided into two sections. I moved here the first week of June – nearly three months prior to any official study abroad programming – and spent the summer establishing a routine: venturing into smaller museums solo, devouring literature, and discovering local spots.… read more
How To Approach New Adventures
A part of your study abroad pre-departure preparation will likely include training on how to manage “culture shock” in an unfamiliar environment. At first, these new experiences can be challenging and may add to a feeling of homesickness. It’s best to approach adjusting to a new lifestyle with the mindset… read more
