When you've been dreaming of doing something for a good half of your life, its terribly difficult to not have super high expectations when it finally comes to pass. But throughout most of my recent travels and experiences, its often when you have the lowest expectations that things work out the best, or at least you percieve them to. Thus, I have been struggling with this constant battle in my mind and my heart to come into this incredible opportunity with as low of expectations as one possibly can when one has been dreaming of studying abroad, in Paris, at Sciences Politiques, since one learned about the concept of studying abroad.
And now, here I am, in the city of lights and love, surrounded and immersed in the French language and culture. It's been blowing my mind for the last 96 hours since my plane touched down in Charles de Gaulle and the announcements started in French instead of English. A full year, it's literally so crazy. It probably doesn't make it any easier that my mind is practically retching up as much intelligble French as it possibly can, given that my body is still getting accustomed to it being 11 hours earlier. But as I start getting everything sorted out (signing up for a year long metro pass, opening a french bank account, looking for part-time jobs) it's becoming more and more real. This isn't just a dream anymore.
And tomorrow, shit will really hit the fan - today was "la rentree" when all Parisians return from their August vacations to sit back down at their desks and get back to the crunch of work. It was also the start of classes at l'Institut de Sciences Politiques Paris, or Sciences Po, one of the "Grandes Ecoles" en France. Luckily, I don't have any classes on Mondays, so I haven't yet experienced the actual classroom environnent I'm about to enter. I've always known Sciences Po was a big deal, but I don't think I ever really understood what the difference was between "les Facs" and "les Grandes Ecoles". And now that I know, I am so glad that I'm an international student on an exchange - I feel like I probably wouldn't be accepted if I wasn't! But, I'll really get my first taste tomorrow, with my main large lecture class ("cours magistral") as well as my elective class.
So since I haven't had any class yet, I can't speak much to the academic aspect of this year yet, but I have begun to discover a bit of the French façon de vivre. La dame who is hosting me, first of all, is a gem. Petite and clearly very passionate, she is a retired juriste who worked for SNCF (who runs the trains and transportation basically in France). She loves politics and the cinema and all sorts of cultural things. She also loves to cook - and as most people know, I love eating - so it's basically a great match. The only problem with this is that not only does she always want me to eat more, but the food is already so good that its hard to say no! We live in a lovely apartment in the 8ieme arrondissement, which is a nice and calm little neighborhood. There are a number of metro stops as well as bus stops so it's fairly simple to get around the city, and it will all hopefully get easier as I learn the system and plan of the city.
I haven't done many touristy things yet, since I'm figuring that I have a full year to go to the Tour d'Eiffel and la musee d'Orsay that it's better to wait until all the tourists leave. Hence, I unfortunately don't have many photos; but I decided today that I need to change that, so hopefully I'll have some to post soon!
Bon nuit, en fait I need to sleep before all my classes tomorrow, and I need to read up on the economic situation in France right now (Yup, I'm gonna die tomorrow...). I hope everyone is doing well!!
Bisous xoxo
And now, here I am, in the city of lights and love, surrounded and immersed in the French language and culture. It's been blowing my mind for the last 96 hours since my plane touched down in Charles de Gaulle and the announcements started in French instead of English. A full year, it's literally so crazy. It probably doesn't make it any easier that my mind is practically retching up as much intelligble French as it possibly can, given that my body is still getting accustomed to it being 11 hours earlier. But as I start getting everything sorted out (signing up for a year long metro pass, opening a french bank account, looking for part-time jobs) it's becoming more and more real. This isn't just a dream anymore.
And tomorrow, shit will really hit the fan - today was "la rentree" when all Parisians return from their August vacations to sit back down at their desks and get back to the crunch of work. It was also the start of classes at l'Institut de Sciences Politiques Paris, or Sciences Po, one of the "Grandes Ecoles" en France. Luckily, I don't have any classes on Mondays, so I haven't yet experienced the actual classroom environnent I'm about to enter. I've always known Sciences Po was a big deal, but I don't think I ever really understood what the difference was between "les Facs" and "les Grandes Ecoles". And now that I know, I am so glad that I'm an international student on an exchange - I feel like I probably wouldn't be accepted if I wasn't! But, I'll really get my first taste tomorrow, with my main large lecture class ("cours magistral") as well as my elective class.
So since I haven't had any class yet, I can't speak much to the academic aspect of this year yet, but I have begun to discover a bit of the French façon de vivre. La dame who is hosting me, first of all, is a gem. Petite and clearly very passionate, she is a retired juriste who worked for SNCF (who runs the trains and transportation basically in France). She loves politics and the cinema and all sorts of cultural things. She also loves to cook - and as most people know, I love eating - so it's basically a great match. The only problem with this is that not only does she always want me to eat more, but the food is already so good that its hard to say no! We live in a lovely apartment in the 8ieme arrondissement, which is a nice and calm little neighborhood. There are a number of metro stops as well as bus stops so it's fairly simple to get around the city, and it will all hopefully get easier as I learn the system and plan of the city.
I haven't done many touristy things yet, since I'm figuring that I have a full year to go to the Tour d'Eiffel and la musee d'Orsay that it's better to wait until all the tourists leave. Hence, I unfortunately don't have many photos; but I decided today that I need to change that, so hopefully I'll have some to post soon!
Bon nuit, en fait I need to sleep before all my classes tomorrow, and I need to read up on the economic situation in France right now (Yup, I'm gonna die tomorrow...). I hope everyone is doing well!!
Bisous xoxo
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