We'll always have Paris!

At last our time in Paris has come to an end. While reflecting on our séjour en France, we have come to the conclusion that the French lifestyle revolves around the dining hours. A typical day begins with breakfast around 8 in the morning follows with lunch at 1 the goûter around 4 and dinner at 8 or 9. In between the eating times friends and family come together and discuss everything that is going on in their lives. Within my 9 days in Paris 3 of the days I went to the countryside with the family and their friends for the entire day to discuss about life over food and drinks. Even during the week when there is less time to leave Paris and meet up with friends, even so after a long day of school for my exchange and a long day of touristing for me, we always found time to sit at the park with 3 or 4 friends, discuss the day and drink/eat the apéritif. Although it may hard to believe but those the moments I appreciated the most. It shocked me that people who live in such a fast paced city are able to live such a slow paced and simple life. It made me realize that the way we choose to live our lives is our choice. Sometimes as Americans we are so schedule-orientated that we tend to forget that there are people around us. For example in Paris my exchange and I would go long walks after lunch and in the beginning I would ask where we were going and what time we had to get back and her response would be “ I do not know.”  By the end of the week I learned to appreciate the time we had to bond without having to know ---Jacqueline

Filled with historic monuments, delicious food, immense shops, and seemingly unlimited bread, Paris itself is a beautiful city. The Parisian lifestyle, however, is one that I probably couldn't live for very long. The transition from the peace and simplicity of Marquise to the chaos and busyness of Paris was almost shocking. In Paris, knowing how to jaywalk is a vital skill. Crossing a street in Paris is like playing a game of Crossy Road - one must be able to cross while avoiding the oncoming traffic, and stopping in the middle of the street is often necessary. Back in February, my correspondant, Sacha, told me that he was surprised by the fact that jaywalking is illegal in America. Now I understand why he was so surprised. Everyone in Paris is always in a rush. Subways and buses are always packed. Driving here seems like a nightmare; jaywalkers are ubiquitous, and there aren't always clear lane lines. The Parisian way of life is simply too fast and too chaotic for my liking. --Matt

  

It’s no question that Paris was truly an adventure! The mere change in cultures, going from the quiet countryside to a bustling city, was a lot to take in at first, but after adjusting to the fast paced Parisian lifestyle it became easier to take in all of our new experiences. Looking back on these nine days, we can firmly state that we’ve gained a new sense of independence and awareness of everything around us. It definitely was helpful to have a French correspondant who knew the city like the back of their hand - while with just the American chaperones, navigating the busy metro system was challenging. Getting to see what our correspondents thought we should see in Paris was very interesting as well, because although we got to see the important historical sites, we were exposed to things that would interest an American teenager. For example, our correspondants took us to Le Manoir de Paris (a haunted house/escape room type of thing), and we also spent a lot of time talking at the park in front of the Invalides, giving us an idea of some “go-to” places of Parisian teenagers. Overall, there was a bit of culture shock in the beginning, but we will miss our correspondants and the French lifestyle. We’ve had an incredible, eventful, and eye-opening week here!---Olivia and Rory

Because of the stunning scenery and fascinating history Paris had to offer, our departure was not easy. We know we are speaking for many when we say we felt very immersed in the unique french culture by the end of our stay. Sitting on the lawn in front of Invalides and taking the metro everywhere became part of our daily routine. One experience we know we will never forget was the challenging, yet rewarding, task of climbing to the top of Notre Dame Cathedral. The view left us all with a new appreciation for the beautiful city, even though the never-ending spiral staircase was a bit daunting. Not only did we see the diverse culture first hand, but also tasted it! The delicious mint tea we drank at the Mosque was a relaxing break from our busy schedule. The exquisite architecture of the Mosque also resonated with us and will always be a fond memory. Overall, our stay in Paris was no doubt a learning experience, but one we will always be grateful for. --Maggie & Noelle

At the Montmartre vineyard!

Poly grads Grant Fega, Teddy Debreu and Stephanie Tercero join us our last night at the crêperie!

Now that we're on our way home, I'm going to miss Paris. For me, this has been a sleepover with one of my best friends for 9 days. I enjoyed a week of becoming closer with Poly friends, Paris friends, and learning about myself. During the week days we were American tourists walking around Paris seeing the sights, and at night we were Parisiennes going to parks and speaking French with our new Amis. Along with the teachers, Poly alums Teddy  and Grant were our guides in Paris. Since they both live there, they were able to show us secret places to eat and hang out. One favorite that Teddy and Grant introduced us to was L'as du Falafel, a falafel place in the Mareilles. We ate by far the best falafels I have ever had. Through sight-seeing and my shopping adventures/makeover with Paul, Gabriel, Sam, and Betsy, I am feeling renewed. -Miles

While reflecting on our séjour en France, we have come to the conclusion that the French lifestyle leaves space to live in the moment and appreciate one’s surroundings. Different from the norms in California, in Paris we always found time to sit at the park with 3 or 4 friends and discuss the day while enjoying the aperitif. Times that Californians might have thought of as uneventful and boring, such as simply sitting and talking, ended up being the ones we appreciated the most.  It shocked us that people who live in such a fast paced city are able to live such slow paced and simple lives. The fact that the more relaxing lifestyle was prominent enough for us to recognize, was astonishing given that the same is said about Californians when tourists come to visit. Sometimes as Americans we are so schedule orientated that we tend to forget that there are people around us. Unlike in America, in Paris, my exchange and I would go on long walks after lunch and in the beginning I would ask where we were going and what time we had to get back and her response would be ,“I do not know” by the end of the week we learned to appreciate the time we had to bond without having to know the destination. This type of attitude was reflected not only on the long walks but throughout the entire day.  Moving forward, we have chosen to take this positive aspect of the Parisians and live day by day.--- Jacqueline and Cayla

Now that we're on our way home, I'm going to miss Paris. For me, this has been a sleepover with one of my best friends for 9 days. I enjoyed a week of becoming closer with Poly friends, Paris friends, and learning about myself. During the week days we were American tourists walking around Paris seeing the sights, and at night we were Parisiennes going to parks and speaking French with our new Amis. Along with the teachers, Poly alums Teddy  and Grant were our guides in Paris. Since they both live there, they were able to show us secret places to eat and hang out. One favorite that Teddy and Grant introduced us to was L'As du Falafel, a falafel place in the Marais. We ate by far the best falafels I have ever had. Through sight-seeing and my shopping adventures/makeover with Paul, Gabriel, Sam, and Betsy, I am feeling renewed. --MIles

Paris… where do we even begin? From visiting the Louvre to buying a new box of Lu cookies every couple of days, we can definitely say that we truly have experienced the Parisienne lifestyle. Ever since the day we arrived in Paris we’ve been moving non-stop, and we know for a fact that everyone is absolutely exhausted. About 5 days into the trip, we visited the famous Musee D’Orsay. It had paintings by Van Gogh, Da Vinci, Monet, and many other well-known artists. We were also able to see incredible, delicately crafted sculptures with intricate detailing. At the museum, one friend didn’t realize that it was against the rules to touch the paintings. After catching her red-handed, we quickly made sure that our friend did not continue to commit her evil acts. Believe us, it’s funnier than it sounds. Aside from these trivial issues and the ups and downs of Paris, we were able to make the most of our trip by spending nine days enjoying a city so small, yet so beautiful. ---Diego and Sophie

Because of the stunning scenery and fascinating history Paris had to offer, our departure was not easy. We know we are speaking for many when we say we felt very immersed in the unique French culture by the end of our stay. Sitting on the lawn in front of Invalides and taking the metro everywhere became part of our daily routine. One experience we know we will never forget was the challenging, yet rewarding, task of climbing to the top of Notre Dame Cathedral. The view left us all with a new appreciation for the beautiful city, even though the never-ending spiral staircase was a bit daunting. Not only did we see the diverse culture first hand, but also tasted it! The delicious mint tea we drank at the Mosque was a relaxing break from our busy schedule. The exquisite architecture of the Mosque also resonated with us and will always be a fond memory. Overall, our stay in Paris was no doubt a learning experience, but one we will always be grateful for. --Julia and VeeVee