Before arriving in Paris, I had this idea that the city wouldn't pose as many cultural differences as many people said it would, but I was wrong.
Aside from the language, I have had to adjust to relying solely on public transportation and my own two feet, while my nose is pressed up against the small map on my phone. The mad rush through the metro to make a connection was initially nerve-racking, but now it's a fun race. As classes began yesterday morning, I have also initiated the process of changing my style of learning. This semester, I am taking a wide array of classes, including professional communication, tourism, gastronomy, fashion and cinema, all of which are instructed in exclusively French. Though I've taken French classes for several years, my instructors have always been willing to go off on an English sidebar to explain a difficult idea, and not having that opportunity in Paris can be slightly terrifying. It is also interesting to adjust to my new campus after spending three years on the large Iowa State campus. The Institut Catholique de Paris spans throughout several beautiful, old buildings in the Latin Quarter, connected by a small courtyard where students can be found speaking in rapid-fire French and smoking cigarettes. As the first signs of spring begin to appear around the city, I am anxious for the sun to finally come out and for the flowers to bloom.
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AuthorHi! My name is Megan Gilbert, and I am studying abroad in Paris during the spring 2017 semester. Follow along! Archives
May 2017
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