I’ve come to learn that a tourist visits Paris, a Parisian exists in Paris, and a transplant first survives and then thrives – under the right conditions. These conditions almost exclusively require an individual to have the characteristic of a very, very, very, very open minded, patient, willing to try new things, and mostly, remain very humble, kind of person. The first week I was here, I was sleep-deprived, frustrated, missing home, and very hungry (the portions here are actually legitimately small). However, now, 4 weeks into my trip here, I am more grateful and excited than ever about all the new experiences I’ve been able to be a part of. Seeing Normandy, Le Louvre, Notre Dame, Le Tour Eiffel, La Jaconde, the courses I’m taking, and my internship here have already left such an impact on my world view and how I see myself as a global citizen. I’m really looking forward to the next two months.
One thing that’s taken the most adjusting to is the language barrier of course. Fortunately my program required that we be able to speak at the intermediate level. I can’t imagine having been able to survive here without knowing a lot more than simply the basics. The French really appreciate it when an American has a good hand on French etiquette and the “vous” form.