I don’t quite know what I was expecting before going to Paris, but what I got was disappointing to say the least. I learned a good bit about myself in my short three day trip to the city of love. Don’t get me wrong-I realize fully that I just striked through some amazing things that are on many bucket lists. However, the crowd paired with fatigue made it a little difficult to enjoy. But enough small talk–let’s dive in?
While I saw a myriad of iconic places, two take the cake for my trip. Versailles was such an adventure. Most things in France are free or significantly discounted for students, and Versailles is no exception. But to get the discount, you have to be able to prove that you are a European student. So sadly, I had to pay 30 euros to enter Versailles. But that’s not the worst part. The worst part was waiting in line for upwards of two and a half hours. I made some friends while in line though. Versailles is Beautiful with a capital B. It’s huge, so it takes a while to properly see all the rooms and the gardens. A person could easily spend half a day there.
My favorite part of Paris was a night boat ride on the Seine river. For an hour, I was able to see some of the most breath-taking buildings(including the meeting place of l’Acadรฉmie franรงaise). At ten p.m., I saw the Eiffel Tower light up. The amazement was audible in the gasps of the passengers. That is a moment, a sight, and a feeling that is unforgettable.
The highs and lows of the Paris trip revealed things about me that I hadn’t noticed. The entirety of my study abroad will undoubtedly show me additional aspects. Personally, I am not much of a journaler. While I see the value in recording experiences to later reflect on, I can never carve the time out of my day to do it. Having a set aside time to write about all of my experiences helps me to process what I am getting from France and all of its sweet challenges. In the future, I can rely on this blog to reinforce what happened and how i felt. As a psychology major, I know in depth how memories change over time. Each time a person retrieves a memory, the memory is altered slightly. This blog will forever serve as a fresh and accurate recording of my time here.
I only have two weeks left in this wonderful city of France. I intend to make the most of it. Who knows when I’ll return? Besides nightly in my dreams..
I’ll keep you updated! Thanks for reading.
