I have been back from my program in Paris for a few days. I can now thank jet lag for allowing me to wake up at 7 am and crash by 10 pm! Being back has really made me see the core differences between life in Paris compared to life in America. I enjoyed my time in Paris and I think I’ve learned a lot from the trip.
For starters, I absolutely loved the classes I completed in Paris. I learned about American writers such as Hemingway, Scott Fitzgerald, Djuna Barnes, Edith Wharton, and Gertrude Stein who all came to Paris and were inspired by the city in some way. What they drew from the city was reflected in their writing that I analyzed. In particular, Fitzgerald’s overall theme of how the past haunts us in “Babylon Revisited” stuck out to me. I also loved the concepts of how war and personal motivation were used in “The Marne” by Djuna Barnes. This program provided a looking glass to what it was like in Paris after World War I, which Gertrude Stein dubbed The Lost Generation. I have also learned about a few French authors, such as Molière and Maupassant. This was a great insight into the social culture in Paris well before the war, especially the class system that society used to be run by.
Aside from the classes, being abroad by myself for the first time was a great experience. Although we did a lot of things in groups, there were many times in which I would venture out on my own. I would find directions to places I wanted to see and navigate the metro system to get there and back. The French I learned in high school definitely came in handy. Being alone in a foreign country was very rewarding, and I now understand why people always say it is something everyone should try to do. I saw so many beautiful sights and learned so much about the history of Paris. I felt as though I got to observe the Paris way-of-life very personally and immerse myself in it, all the while returning with increased independence and confidence. I will miss being able to stroll along the Seine at night or pop into one of the many beautiful museums or picnicking at a lively garden. Thank you for following along on my study abroad journey, and thank you Paris.
