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Paris In Four Months! Why I Moved To Paris For My Study Abroad Semester
Paris in four months! Crêpes, macarons, French wine, and the sparkling Eiffel Tower. It is hard to describe the love a girl has for Paris. A fairytale destination we all wish to visit someday because everything about Paris is a blessing. In this article, I share my experience of studying abroad in Paris despite not knowing French.
It was a new year, a new city, a new university, and a new life for me. I was a bit nervous, even though I had lived in London before and knew the challenges of moving to a different country. However, I did not anticipate that it would take me so long to adjust to living in Paris.
For my first study abroad semester, I chose Paris as my destination since my university allowed us to move to European countries. Initially, I had considered returning to London, but relocating to a new place would be more beneficial. My love for French fashion and the availability of suitable study abroad programs also contributed to my decision. Therefore, I quickly decided that it would be Paris in four months.
In case you need help with finding the correct study abroad program. Read here how to find the suitable one for you.
THE BEGINNING, ACCOMMODATIONS & SIGHTSEEING
While staying in the city of love, I resided in the second arrondissement. The building appeared to be in poor condition, which was disappointing. Nonetheless, the interior of my apartment was charming and comfortable, which was the most crucial aspect. I had become accustomed to seeing unattractive places during my frequent visits to Vietnam. However, encountering such a situation in France was unexpected.
As I previously stated, I faced some difficulties when I arrived in Paris. Despite my desire to speak the country’s beautiful language, I can only utter a few phrases and count numbers. Additionally, I relocated to the French capital on my own. My best friend went to another university in Paris and came a few weeks later. So, in the beginning, I handled many things on my own: including sightseeing and a lot of shopping.
I have visited Paris many times with my family. Hence, I am familiar with all the popular tourist areas and shopping streets. However, this was my first time exploring the museums. Paris is known for its food, fashion, art, and culture, so I decided to give the museums a chance this time. I had a great experience and found them to be enjoyable rather than boring.
Here are the top 15 things to do in Paris!
UNIVERSITY, FRIENDS & LIFESTYLE
During my first day at the university, we had an orientation event where we learned about our schedules and had the opportunity to meet other exchange and local students who were organising events for us. During this event, I met Nhi, a Vietnamese girl from Berlin. Although it’s usually easier for me to connect with people from Germany, for some reason, I didn’t like Nhi at first. However, since we had many classes together, we got to know each other better. She even became like a big sister to me. This experience taught me the lesson that the quote “friendships with ‘I didn’t like you in the beginning’ are in the end the best” is often accurate.
When moving abroad, it’s essential to connect with people. I was fortunate to meet Nhi and another girl from the Netherlands. We enjoyed activities like sightseeing, shopping, Disneyland, and meals together. Although we spent a lot of money on food, I miss our brunch dates the most.
These are the best Brunch and Dinner places you can not miss in Paris!
FIND YOURSELF LOCAL FRIENDS
When I lived in London, I had friends who went abroad like me. Don’t get me wrong; I genuinely love them. It was the time of my life with them in London. Nevertheless, it was a pity I didn’t connect with British people. My Paris experience was completely different. I wasn’t searching for French friends, but it turned out now that I found incredible and charming French friends. Thanks to my university in Paris, they mixed us exchange students with the native ones. Due to that, it was easier to connect with them.
In the beginning, the French students just stayed with themselves. Luckily, a guy in my core class sought a member for his group work. Thanks to that, we got in touch with each other. I am pleased about this because that moment was the beginning of a beautiful and crazy friendship. My stay in Paris would have been entirely different without my French friends. Native students will show you their way of living in the city. It’s a style you would only know if you had people guiding you.
At my university in Paris, they organised a lot of parties. What fascinated me the most was that all the local students felt community. They identify as university students, and almost all attend the events. We had events such as private parties and a gala night with beautiful gowns and suits. However, the highlight was the university presidential election. I’ve never seen something impressive like that before, and I am glad I could have been part of all that. Unfortunately, I studied there just for one semester, but it was a blast!
I WANNA STAY HERE FOREVER…
… here in London. Here in Munich.
Although I’ve left my heart in many different places, I never thought Paris would become a place I’d want to call home. However, when I stood on the terrace of Printemps and watched the sun setting over Paris, I saw the beautiful Eiffel Tower illuminated by the warm sunlight. At that moment, I knew I wanted to stay in Paris forever, and a piece of my heart would always remain there. Despite my love for London and Munich, I realised that just because things are perfect where you are doesn’t mean they can’t be even better elsewhere.
During my four months in Paris, I gained valuable experiences and made beautiful memories with incredible people. These experiences helped me become more open-minded and allowed me to grow. So yes, this was my experience in Paris in four months. I fell in love with this beautiful city and will always hold it close to my heart.
Fall in love with as many things as possible and spread the love!
Now two years later, my friends and I are still keeping in touch, and that’s what I love so much about moving abroad. Because in the end, you will win international friends, and the experience is priceless! So go study abroad! Go and have your own Paris in four months’ experience! If you’re still hesitating, here are all the reasons why you should study abroad! If you want a visual impression of my study abroad semester, check out my TikTok or the Daily Happiness Instagram account.
Thanks to everyone who went along with me on this journey. Thanks for four months in Paris.
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