France: William Perri (Daily Life in Paris)

Program: IES Paris Business & International Affairs, Fall

When I first arrived in Paris, I was completely overwhelmed by my new environment. I had heard from friends and family who had previously visited the city that it was enormous, and still, I believe its size was understated. As my taxi drove me from Charles De Gaulle Airport to my residence at a homestay, I sat and stared out the window, thinking, “I’ll never fit in here.” I couldn’t have been more wrong. Even just three and a half weeks into my experience here in the 14^th arrondissement of Paris, I have adapted to a new lifestyle and have since become comfortable with a new daily routine.

A classic school day begins with me waking up early and eating a quick breakfast consisting of pastries and espresso with my host family. Breakfast is normally always light in Paris and usually involves something on the sweeter end, which I definitely won’t complain about. After that, it’s my turn to use the restroom in our apartment to prepare for my day. I then pack my bag and take the train to class. The metro is by far the most popular form of transportation in the city. I use it every day to get to and from wherever I’m going, as there are about 15 lines that extend throughout the city. It takes me about 20 minutes by train to get to my campus to begin class. By taking the metro, I get to truly immerse myself in the lives of French citizens. It’s a place where you can see all different types of people going about their day.

When I finish my first class, I almost always go and find a café to sit down at, do some work, and have another espresso. I’ll either meet up with friends or go by myself for some time alone. One of my favorite ways to immerse myself has been simply sitting down in a café and taking time to relax. Café culture is massive here in the city. It is incredibly common to go and sit down at a café and drink a mid-to-late-afternoon coffee, and restaurants are more than accommodating to those who want to hang around for a few hours.

At about one in the afternoon, I head back to my homestay to enjoy lunch with whoever is home at the time, but not before I swing by a local bakery to buy an entire fresh baguette for about a euro. Lunch is normally a quick meal, such as a sandwich, since I want to head back to campus to attend my later classes. When I get done with school for the day, I have several hours to explore before it gets dark. I love to explore the city and visit new neighborhoods, and I’m always uncovering new favorite places to go. There is constantly something going on in the city, such as street markets with local vendors or pickup basketball games at the city parks. I really enjoy interacting with locals while practicing my French in these immersive settings, as I’m surrounded by fluent speakers. When I’m finished walking around the streets of Paris, I will either head home to eat dinner with my host family or meet up with friends to go out to restaurants and further explore the city.

What I have loved most about my time in Paris is fully immersing myself in the French way of living. Enjoying food and city life, as well as spending time with friends and family, is what French culture is all about. You’re expected to live in every moment and enjoy the little things in life, like your 3^rd espresso of the day. French culture and my new daily routine have been incredibly influential in how I wish to live my life every day when I return home from this program.