France: Will Gittens (Daily Routine in Paris)

I will fully admit that I have never really been much of a breakfast eater. That all changed when I got to Paris. Now I’m not saying I went from having nothing to eating eggs and bacon every morning, but I did start going to the boulangerie every morning. For those that aren’t as familiar with France, a boulangerie is a French bakery that makes all kinds of bread and pastries. The most important of all these pastries is of course the pain au chocolat and the croissant. Remember what I said about not being a breakfast eater? Everyone would be a breakfast eater if you got to enjoy a pain au chocolat in the morning, which happens to be exactly what I do. As a result, it has become a part of my daily routine. I wake up, head to the boulangerie to get a pain au chocolat – or sometimes two – and then eat it on my way to class. It has become something that in the course of my time here I have found I cannot do without. It is also not only me that clearly thinks this way as every morning all sorts of people doing all sorts of jobs all head to the boulangerie to do the exact same thing. It is a part of French culture and as a result has become a part of my routine and life. On the one hand it may seem insignificant, but it is the moments and basic parts of life like this that tend to stand out most.

Will Gittens

Hometown: Racine, Wisconsin

Major: BA in Economics and BA in Political Science

Program: UW in Paris

Paris is one of the great cities of the world. It is full of art, architecture, music and food. With that being said, one of the attractions to me is that Paris is a city full of all different types of people. Having an experience such as studying abroad in Paris would help me fulfill the personal goal I always chase, adding perspective. I believe that one of the best personal goals anyone can have is to continually add experiences that challenge the way you think. It is especially important to do this outside of the classroom, not just inside.