A Host Family Experience
April 9, 2017
I met my host-mom Solène (mère d’accueil) over macarons and champagne a few days after I arrived in Paris. Solène’s a nurse, and she has a habit of wearing two pairs of glasses at the same time. I met her husband, Thierry, about an hour later over dinner. Thierry owns a bookstore, and the small kitchen in the corner of the apartment is his favorite place to be. They were high-school sweethearts and have three children – thanks to them, I know the word for affectionately crazy (dingue) and how to describe ragging on someone (taquiner). The day after I arrived, Thierry walked me through his neighbourhood, noting the changes that he's witnessed in the 30 years that he's lived there. He’s watched bookstores and publishers transition into niche, expensive boutiques. Regardless, he kindly pointed out his favorite bars and cafés, and introduced me to his cheese-monger. For the past three months, he's taken to calling me a gourmand, probably because I never refuse cheese or... Read More
The French Problématique: A French University Experience
March 28, 2017
With just over two months of classes at French university under my belt, I’ve had enough time to note the differences between the French and American school systems. During our orientation, the APA directors explained the differences in full, but practice can often be... Read More
Playing Tourguide
March 19, 2017
When my family and friends found out that I was officially going to be studying abroad in Paris, their first reaction was: We’re coming to visit! Oftentimes, your semester abroad gives the people who love you a perfect excuse to come to Paris (though really, do you need... Read More
First Weekend of Spring
March 12, 2017
Paris truly showed off this past weekend. It seemed like the first sunny days in months, though in reality it had only been a few weeks of gray skies and rain, and everybody was out and about enjoying the weather. This weekend served as a big hint of what the spring to come... Read More
Where to Study (Abroad)
March 9, 2017
Once in a while, there’s an aspect of being abroad that mirrors being back at our home universities. Sometimes it’s greasy food at 2am, sometimes it’s oversleeping after working late at night. These days, at the beginning of March, it’s the... Read More
Weekend in Bruxelles
March 2, 2017
The French political science class – French name is “Les Enjeux Politiques de la France” – spent last weekend in Bruxelles, Belgium. We were lucky to visit the actual European Union institutions that we had studied in class with our professor,... Read More
Paris Café Culture (and Tips)
February 27, 2017
PARIS — Paris does a lot of things right. Glimmering Haussmann architecture, satisfying wine, oozing cheese like jewels behind glass counters… and perfectly adequate street cleaning. Sadly, coffee (and the matter of public urination, among other things) doesn’t make the... Read More
Packing for your semester abroad
February 22, 2017
It’s hard to believe, but it’s been a full seven weeks (!) since I arrived in Paris. Many students from my home university are just departing on their study abroad adventures, and I feel incredibly lucky that I’ve already gotten to spend so much time in Paris. I can safely... Read More
A Hint of Spring in Paris & Our First Chateau!
February 6, 2017
I have a habit of carrying around a little journal with me. It’s different from the one that’s full of French words I learn in real-life and should probably get around to memorising. It doesn’t have lined pages; instead, I tape in billets and brochures and... Read More
Weekend trip to Normandy and Brittany
January 23, 2017
APA headed to Normandy and Brittany on Saturday for our first weekend trip! Departing at around 8am on Saturday morning, we drove the 4-5 hours to St. Malo – a medieval village in Northwestern France that looks out onto the English channel. The walled city is notorious... Read More
Salut Paris !
January 11, 2017
Salut, mes amis! My name is Liv Burns, and I’m a junior at George Washington University studying journalism and french. I’ve been lucky enough to receive the opportunity to blog for APA during my semester in Paris! I hope you enjoy a recount of my first few days in... Read More
Final Thoughts on Paris
December 28, 2016
This is my last last post on the APA blog! After 4 months, it’s time to wrap up my experience and say my goodbyes. I’ve been back in the US for a week now and I’ve had a little bit of time to reflect on the end of my stay and my overall time in Paris.... Read More
Teaching English!
December 21, 2016
Thursday mornings were perhaps my favorite time of the week. Each Thursday, I went to Fenelon in the 8th arrondissement to assist in english classes. Each week we did something different. Sometimes I would talk about a topic they were studying and they would write notes on what... Read More
Thanksgiving in Paris
December 10, 2016
Two weeks ago, everyone in APA gathered together to celebrate Thanksgiving! We had it at this beautiful one room restaurant in the 13th arrondissement called Chez Nathalie. They served traditional thanksgiving food. All the favorites: turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, gravy,... Read More
London Study Tour!
December 4, 2016
At the start of November, we hopped on the Eurostar and in two hours, APA was in London. We stayed in Victoria, and we spent two days touring and presenting on London architecture, Tate Britain, Courtauld Gallery, and the National Gallery for our 19th century French Art... Read More
