Paris First Impressions

Hey guys! So I arrived in France a few days ago and I have to say it was quite interesting. I don't think I experienced the culture shock right away. Honestly I was really comfortable in my new environment so I had no problems settling in.

I'd say there are a lot of differences between Hawaii, where I am from, and Paris, France. First of all are they way people dress. The people where dress more conservative and more in casual formal outfits. Almost everyone would be neutral colors. It's really classy and I kind of felt out of place at first because I was wearing a green and blue checkered tops with a tank top underneath and jeans. I also realized that scarfs are definitely a must here during the cold weather. Luckily I brought one just in case. 

Another difference is the organization of the traffic. It's definitely something that I need to get use to. When my friend's aunt picked us up from the airport, I was really confused and shocked about what was going on around me. Cars were literally driving everywhere and sometimes half of the car would be on the sidewalk. Sometimes the roads didn't have designated lines for the cars so cars would just drive anywhere. When people cross, sometimes the cars would stop literally in front of you. Other times, even when you are walking on the crosswalk, a car, if fast enough, will speed past you. What's even more surprising are the people. What I learned was that where there are no cars on the road, just cross, even if the signal is still on red. A lot of people just cross anyways. But for me, I just crossed when it gave the green signal because it felt weird crossing during a red crossing light.

Food I ordered at a small restaurant 

The food was definitely different here. There are so many different kinds of food that I want to try but I think one of the popular ones that French people are known for are the baguettes; the long piece of bread that can be used as a sandwich or eaten alone. With different styles and condiments on it, it can really fill you up for lunch or dinner. It's also cheap so that's a plus as well. 

One of the metro stations

                            I've learned that there are a lot of different modes of transportation in Paris which I think is really cool. Though people do use their cars to get around the city, I think the best modes of transportation is by walking and using the metro. Walking is a great way to exercise and is a great way to take in the sights and views of Paris. If you don't want to walk far but want to still be able to explore farther parts of Paris, using the metro is a great way to get from one area to another in Paris. For me, I purchased a one month metro pass so that I could get unlimited Bus and Metro rides for my entire stay in France. It is very convenient if you plan to explore many different parts. If not, you would have to pay for a ticket every time.

Other than that, Paris is such a beautiful place and I was able experience a lot of things in the first few days such as seeing the Notre Dame Cathedral and Eiffel Tower, and riding a metro. It was very eye opening and a shock to me because I have always wanted to visit these monuments and experience these things and being there and seeing these things in real life was an amazing experience. I learned a lot and adapted quite quicker that I expected. There is still much for me to learn (such as ordering food in French) and much more places to visit and I am so excited to have a whole month to do just that.

    

First picture with the Eiffel Tower

At Notre Dame Cathedral

   

- Allysha Mae Martinez, Summer Study Abroad ESCE