My name is Meghan Dearing and I am here with the UML Honors College in San Sebastián, Spain. This weekend a small group of us went to Paris, France. It was an incredible experience. We have become familiar with the San Sebastián area over the past 2 weeks. Taking a short weekend trip to France for only 4 days has been a whirlwind. After our Paris trip, we will return to San Sebastián for our final week of classes.

Our day began with breakfast in Kozy Cafe. We were very excited to see various forms of iced coffee, cold brew, lattes, and matcha. Before coming to Europe, I only ordered iced vanilla lattes with oat milk (of course, that is what I ordered yesterday), but I have grown a taste for café con leche in Spain. Although the cafe was not authentic to France, we had a feast of Belgium waffles, Eggs Benedict, and French toast. 

Our first stop was La Galerie Dior. The building had grand displays of seashells that created beautiful murals showcasing hand bags, dresses, coats, and hats. In the entrance there was a beautiful spiral staircase with a gradient wall of Dior accessories and attire reaching 3 floors. As someone who loves fashion history, I would absolutely recommend this gallery. Christin Dior was a great inspiration to many designers and fashion lovers. The scent of Miss Dior perfume lingered throughout the gallery. We saw iconic pieces worn by supermodels and fashion icons. A navy blue dress worn by Princess Diana was on display in the red carpet room. My favorite piece from the collection was the 18th century Marie Antionette inspired gown. There was a beautiful room with a blue sky background that looked like a renaissance painting.

Our next destination was the Eiffel Tower! Seeing one of the greatest landmarks in the world was a dream come true. It is a sight you can see from all over the city, but was beautiful to see up close. Of course we got many group photos. The area was busy, many tourists fluttered around the area getting photos. Unfortunately we will be leaving on the morning of Bastille day and will not see the sparking lights. 

The Arc de Triomphe is a beautiful memorial site honoring fallen soldiers during the French Revolution and both World Wars. Fallen soldiers’ names are carved into the glorious architecture. There is a tour that takes you to the top of the monument, overlooking the city. It was beautiful to see the the heights of Paris. 

After the Arc de Triomphe we had to stop for French macarons, these may be my favorite dessert on this trip! These were a bit pricey, it was €26 for a box of 8, but definitely worth the price. My favorite ones were the orange flavor.

Sacre Coeur Basilica has a beautiful view of the Paris skyline. In this part of the city there were many hills to walk up and down. We got a bit lost in this area and it was busy with tourists. All down the streets are cafes and souvenir shops. For anyone interested in traveling down here they must take caution of pickpocketing and scammers. Be aware of surroundings and stay with the group. There are scammers who will tie bracelets to tourists’ arms and demand money. Other than the scammers and busy streets the view was amazing and the walk was tiring but very rewarding. 

Our final stop of the day was Moulin Rouge. We walked about an hour from Sacre Coeur Basilica. On our way to the theater we saw many vendors, restaurants, and street performers. This is a very old theater and birthplace of the iconic Can-Can dance. Moulin Rouge is known for its eccentric dances and loud costumes. The red windmill can be seen all over French souvenirs. Unfortunately we did not get to see a performance here. If I were to come back to Paris I would love to see a Moulin Rouge show.

This trip has been an incredible experience. Originally my plan for studying abroad was to stay in Spain for as long as I could. Staying in a beach town like San Sebastián feels like the complete opposite of a busy city like Paris. Our group only gets to enjoy the weekend here. This is a city that has so much to see and we have such little time. My advice to students who are interested in studying abroad is to see as much as you can. There is no need to stay in the city of your school. Europe has so much to offer, you can see entirely different cultures just an hour away. A week ago today I did not think I would be in Paris, but this program has lead me onto an exciting adventure!