Tara’s Paris Study Abroad

Upon arrival in France, the beauty of Parisian architecture and how different it is from that in the United States amazed me. I recall being impressed by the narrowness of the buildings and streets. Furthermore, I made a lot of connections and comparisons between France and the United States. For instance, I noticed that there are cafes on every corner in Paris. That is not a common sight to see in the states. I also discovered that France is very culturally diverse like America. As I adjusted to living abroad, I started to prefer the crowded nature of the city of Paris over cities in the United States. I feel this way because everything in Paris is so close together that walking is sufficient to go from popular places like the Louvre to the Eiffel Tower. As time progressed, I also felt more accustomed to the fast-paced nature of city life in Paris. For example, I was no longer intimidated by the metro system, for I now understood how locations in the city connected together. I felt confident enough to stop relying on my maps application on my phone, transitioning to merely using the guides in the metro station.

Academics in France were similar to those at UCSB. This is because the program included classes with students from various University of California campuses. Like courses at UCSB, my Accent center courses in French and Food in Art were rigorous. Each class involved regular exams, homework, reading, and group projects. Thus, my class felt fast-paced like the courses taken at UCSB. The difference between academics in France and those at UCSB is that my classes in France had smaller class sizes. Moreover, my French class in France had the most interactive classroom environment I have been a part of. The class was almost a conversation between the professor and the students. What I mean by this is that the professor asked questions from the students in French, and encouraged them to respond. I have never taken a language course at UCSB, so I am not sure if this teaching style is unique to French academics. Nonetheless, I enjoyed it and found it sped up my learning of the language to the point where I could converse with a local in French. Additionally, my French class and Food in Art course were different from those at UCSB because part of the curriculum involved weekly class field trips to sites and museums in Paris. 

While abroad, I learned that I had a greater appreciation for fashion than I thought. Reflecting on my time in Paris, I am surprised that I spent most of my free time at fashion museums. Paris is a city rich in fashion history, so many of the activities available revolve around those subjects. When I visited my first fashion museum, the Yves Saint Laurent Museum, I felt excited by designer Saint Laurent's clothing sketches and eccentric designs. While abroad, I realized that fashion is a part of who I am, and I feel motivated to incorporate it largely into my lifestyle by contributing to the fashion community in some way in the near future. 

Returning home was bittersweet. Although I felt excited to reunite with my friends and family in my hometown, I knew I would miss life in France. Furthermore, I worried that I would forget the French that I learned abroad. Therefore, to help myself adjust to this change, I reassured myself that I can incorporate aspects of my life in Paris into my life in California. Hence, I will continue to expand my knowledge about the French language by using Duolingo like I did prior to studying abroad. Since returning home, I have also started watching videos from Youtube  channel Easy French. This way, I can stay connected to Parisian culture. 

As I hoped for before studying abroad, I acquired so much knowledge about French language, culture, and history. This is important for me because one of my goals is to always learn. Going into the study abroad experience, I was also set on leaving the program with the ability to hold a conversation in French. I'm proud to say I succeeded.