Ahhh, a semester in Paris – as cliché as it gets for the American studying abroad, but also cliché for a good reason. Look up any Best Places to Study Abroad list on Google and you’re bound to find Paris in the top 5. Scratch that – top 3. Here are the 25 quintessential study abroad moments you’ll experience in Paris – if you didn’t, you didn’t do it right.
It’s Thursday night and you’ve ended up at Café Oz, Mixclub, Rue de la Roquette, or at Concorde Atlantique for an Erasmus night
You think you’re cute for going to a museum on the first Sunday of the month cuz it’s free, when you can actually go any day since you’re not only a student, but also under 26
All your paper will look like this
Your diet consists of jambon beurres and Orangina from CROUS
You’ll go to the American Church and/or scour the FUSAC classifieds for English babysitting gigs only to see everyone and their mom doing the same thing
You made your Photomaton picture your Facebook profile photo
You never have class because every week there is some sort of holiday you’ve never heard of
You spend your free time at Cité Universitaire because you have a friend living there
You mumble “attention à la marche en descendant du train” in your sleep
You’re pissed because you’re already four months in and still haven’t made one good French friend
You’re both admired and despised after saying you’re American
Every day of your time abroad looks like this
Your American university doesn’t understand the concept of ECTS
You’re a Sophomore of Junior and don’t know if you should be taking L2 or L3 classes
You start to crave ¢0,40 mochaccinos from your university vending machine
You’ve left a note on the bulletin board on the second floor of Shakespeare & Company
You buy the cheapest bottom shelf wine from Leader Price and it’s still better than wine back home
You start studying by the Seine, people-watching by the Seine, drinking by the Seine, going to meet ups by the Seine, doing everything by the Seine
You’ve gotten drunk on Rue Mouffetard
You’re the only one in the club knowing all the lyrics to the songs and you’re that American to make sure everyone knows you know
You live in a 100 square foot apartment in a seven floor walkup without a bathroom or shower…and somehow you’re okay with it because you’re “in Paris”
You buy €0,20 books from Gibert Jeune because they’re €0,20 just to find out your French isn’t that good yet
You’ve gone to a Babyspeaking recruitment event for the wine and cheese, but never actually accept the position
Your friends are jealous because your Instagram look like this…
or this…
or this…
…but little do they know you’re really stepping in dog poop and breathing second-hand smoke all day
Even after your semester is over, you’ll still be amazed
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