Category: France: Hollins Paris

One of the best parts about studying abroad in Europe is the absolute freedom one gets. Whoever first started saying that freshman year is the first year of real freedom never studied abroad. Yes freshman year does allow you to have a lot more freedom than high school, but real freedom is getting bored and…

I had just gotten used to living in America. Orlando was not only my home for the spring and fall semesters, but I got to build a whole different life there staying during winters and summers. With all that love for the city, you can imagine I have also acquired a lot of stuff, right?…

I have always wondered: Why would anyone receive an unknown student into their own homes for almost a semester? Someone who does not speak the language, someone who does not know the city (or even the country), and someone who has done everything of their lives differently at their usual American home. Now imagine when…

Well, it has officially been five weeks since the Hollins Abroad Paris program has begun, and it has been a whirlwind, to say the least. I’ve started my classes, am getting along with my host family, have figured out how to use the metro (finally), am getting lost less, and overall, am doing pretty well….

The first month of studying abroad was nothing like I imagined it would be. I thought since I had a field study under my belt, I would be prepared for what was to come, but I could not have been more wrong. I was absolutely positive that culture shock would not get to me. One-…

Like my school work, I left my packing to the very last second. For a few weeks my fellow Paris peers have been texting and posting about packing, which probably should have been a good hint that I should start. Unfortunately I did not take the hint and I continued to ignore the signs. Last…

Well, it is almost that time! After spending a very long summer working retail, doing some accounting on the side, and trying my hand at aerial silks circus classes, I am very ready to board a plane and fly to Paris and begin the study abroad experience! And if we’re being very honest, it will…

I’ve been back in America for some time now, and it’s been just as strange as people said it would be. Coming back to Florida, to the place I’ve lived for almost my whole life, the things I’ve taken for granted, consider normal, feels strange. One of the biggest things I’ve noticed is just how…

I can’t believe it. I have one week, and then I leave. These months have gone so fast, in a tornado of trains and French and classes and sandwiches from the boulangerie. I’ve been realizing that this city has truly become my home since I came. When I leave, will leave a piece of myself…