As I am a senior graduating in May, I knew that I wanted to squeeze one more adventure in before my time at UMass Lowell came to an end. After traveling to San Sebastian, Spain, with the honors college back in Summer of 2023, I knew that I would be able to walk away from another study abroad trip with the same sense of fulfillment. When I saw the announcement for this study abroad trip to Paris, I knew it was meant to be. This was my last chance to study abroad again before I graduate from the university. My last opportunity, in undergraduate, to see a new country, make new connections, and expand my mindset, which helps me grow for the better. 

On March 7th, we took flight from Logan Airport and my final undergraduate adventure was starting, one that I have been looking forward to and ready for. Landing in Paris was truly exhilarating, as you here about this city your entire life. The fashion capital of the world, the city of love, ville lumière (the city of light), to name a few nicknames for one of the grandest cities in the world. We landed in Paris around nine in the morning and after leaving the airport, driving through the outskirts of Paris, we went straight to a welcome lunch with our professor. We were guided through the Paris metro, by our guide, Thomas, who helped us get initially acclimated to the fast paced and intimidating culture. At this lunch, the professor, myself, and the other eleven girls, all got to know each other, talk about the week ahead of us and start diving into our first French cuisine adventure. The meal consisted of french onion soup, chicken with mushroom sauce and basmati rice, and chocolate mousse for dessert. I unfortunately was only able to eat the main course and dessert, but both were fantastic and welcomed me into the French culture. Instead of the traditional starter, I was served a salad with goat cheese, apples, and olive oil, which brought me back to the food I had eaten in San Sebastian. This was a great way to kick off our week-long trip and it set the tone for a busy, but memorable and fulfilling spring break. 

After the lunch, we walked through the city, specifically the 5th arrondissement, and headed to the World Strides office for orientation. On the walk there, we observed Notre Dame, many French people-watchers, and the oldest tree in Paris, which was interesting to me as an Environmental Science major! At the orientation, we learned the ropes for a beginner Parisian. They taught us about how to use the metro, the basics of French culture, safety within the city, and how to make the most out of the week that we are here. The biggest thing that we learned was to follow the manners that the French culture endures. Any place that you walk into, it is a must to say bonjour, otherwise it is considered rude. The two words that I have said the most so far into the trip is bonjour and merci. We have been saying these two words consistently, we sound a little french while doing so! 

After the crash course for Paris, we went back to the hotel, got settled, and enjoyed the quiet for a little while, as we were all very tired from the long flight. As it was my first night in Paris, I wasn’t exactly sure what to do first, but I thought the easiest option was to go out and get dinner, which can help ease someone into a new city. Myself, and a few of the other girls went out into the city with no restaurant in mind. We hopped on the metro, with our new knowledge from orientation, and decided to take a detour to the Eiffel Tower. As soon as we walked out of the metro station, I saw the lights from the Eiffel Tower, reflecting off of the building in front of me. In that moment, I knew this was going to be an unforgettable trip, and I confirmed that when I saw the Eiffel Tower with my eyes for the first time. It was shimmering gold in the night, right in the middle of Paris, and I understood why this city is such an unbeatable and unforgettable city across the globe. 

After taking many pictures of the Eiffel Tower, and overlooking the Seine River, we walked around to find some food and ended up at a restaurant about two streets away from the tower. We were lucky enough to get seated as a group of five and I ended up having a very flavorful chicken sandwich. This was a great first night on the study abroad trip, as I saw a few historic monuments, ate some yummy French food, and was able to bond with new people that I would not have met at UMass Lowell otherwise. 

At the end of the night, we tackled public transportation to get back to the hotel. After experiencing a day of French culture and doing some sightseeing, I am ecstatic to try new things each day this week and be apart of the French way of living. Experiencing new cultures is my favorite way to grow as a person and this trip is doing exactly that, making this an already unforgettable and special experience.