Ode to Public Transportation
October 31, 2017
I love public transportation. It is one of the only instances where people from all walks of life are thrown suddenly into and must share the same space for an extended period of time only for that bond to be torn apart with the same inconsequential lightness that it was formed.... Read More
Intro to host family life 101
October 22, 2017
Returning home from our weekend trip to Normandy, I stepped into the dark rain-streaked streets of Belleville. I had been feeling anxious to the thought of re-entering the bustling, cobbled maze of Paris after a refreshing few days taking in the blustery, autumnal countryside of... Read More
Quest for the perfect study spot
October 15, 2017
Finding places to study, in this vast, beautiful place has proven to be far more challenging than anticipated. What with all the libraries, museums, cafes, parks, and campus wifi, I assumed I could drop in anywhere to get some work done. Instead, I have, through some... Read More
Good running vibes
October 9, 2017
Without getting too spiritual about it, running is a way for me to keep balance in my life. It gives me a chunk of time in the middle of the day to focus on myself, in silence, and outdoors and it helps me exert stress, stay physically fit, and sleep better. When I decided to... Read More
SOS which lines do I use in my notebook?
September 30, 2017
During our orientation week we had a session about the ways in which the French and US education systems differ. We learned all about the different paths students take to get into their chosen universities and how the academic programs are divided. It was eluded to us how... Read More
Vertigo
September 22, 2017
I. As I wait to for the little green person to light up as a sign that I can cross the street, I scan the sea of faces for anyone I recognize. I was on my way to one of APA’s intimate group tours of the various neighborhoods in Paris and was searching for our... Read More
not a question of Why, but of How
September 13, 2017
By the end of my years of high school French, it became clear that the goal wasn’t to speak French but rather to check off the obligatory “cultural exposure” class from the list of requirements that stood between the student and their graduation or their acceptance into a... Read More
My Paris: Looking Back
May 2, 2017
It’s an odd feeling, isn’t it – missing something before it’s left you. Unfortunately, time never slows in the face of nostalgia. Especially not in the warm-ish, glinting haze that is Paris in May. Having been away from the City of Light for about a week and a half... Read More
Weekend in the Loire Valley
April 24, 2017
This beautiful weekend saw a couple of things: the resultats of the premier tour of the French presidential elections (!), and an utterly gorgeous weekend in the Loire Valley. The Loire Valley spans 280 kilometres in central France and is referred to as the Garden of France... Read More
Travel Tip Round-Up: Spring 2017
April 14, 2017
It’s spring break (vacances de printemps) here in Paris – which means that a lot of APA students are enjoying their time-off with well-earned travel! Having been on the European continent for about three and a half months at this point, with plenty of travel to boot, many of... Read More