One of the beautiful aspects of studying abroad in Paris is that you can easily travel around Europe and even Northern Africa if you are feeling more adventurous. One of the most surprising things about traveling throughout Europe to me was how cheap it can be. Although it may take some time and planning, finding cheap transportation, housing, and meal options is very manageable. It is not uncommon to find plane or train tickets to another country under 100 euros. Our class schedule here in Paris includes a 1 week Fall break, a 2 day Thanksgiving break, and plenty of long weekends for ample opportunities to travel. Due to the fact that most European countries are within 2 hours of Paris by plane, traveling to other countries for short periods of time is also extremely manageable.
Although being able to travel so easily throughout Europe is a blessing, it can definitely be a curse as well. It can be easy to get caught up in the fact that traveling accessible. Some students plan trips for every open time period that they have. This becomes problematic when you don’t get to experience as much of Paris as you would like. I can say that I am experiencing this to a certain extent. With only one month left in Paris, I am realizing that there is still so much for me to see and experience in this beautiful city. Especially now that finals and project deadlines are approaching, it seems as if time is passing by all too quickly.
So my advice to anyone planning to study abroad in Europe would be to travel, by all means explore Europe. Studying abroad is a great time to do so. However, don’t forget that the city that you are living in is dying to be explored as well; take advantage of your time there and don’t take it for granted just because it has become the new norm.