Thoughts on Paris and France

As the fall semester wraps up, I would like to share some of my concluding thoughts on Paris and France in general.

All in all, this semester has been amazing, and living in a well-developed, beloved city like Paris has definitely played a large role in that. In addition to the endless sights and activities to enjoy, Paris offers the infrastructure and housing that many of us desire for a relatively comfortable lifestyle. As an American who has had the privilege of living in some of the wealthier parts of the country, I’ve become accustomed to certain basic amenities, so I expect a baseline level of comfort in the place I live—something I’ve definitely found here.

Even something as simple as using Amazon in France has been different from the U.S., as there are fewer product offerings, and many of the brands I use in the States simply don’t ship to where I live in the suburbs of Paris. Another challenge I’ve encountered while living in Europe is that none of the countries I’ve visited offer free public bathrooms. So, if you’re out for the whole day, you generally have to pay or find a mall or similar facility. It’s little things like these that I took for granted in the States, but they’ve really influenced my perspective on living in this country. In short, while there have been some challenges, I’ve been very satisfied with my overall comfort and the ease of my transition to living here, which is no doubt due to the fact that France is one of the most developed countries in the world.

Now, for the more enjoyable aspects of Paris and France, I obviously can’t speak about everything since I’ve only been a student for a couple of months, but I’ve traveled enough around Paris and France to confidently say I’ve enjoyed a wide range of activities, events, food, and meeting people.

The food here is simply phenomenal, and the variety of cuisines is vast, not unlike the fusion styles I experienced when I lived in New York this past summer. Like many major cities in the U.S., this type of gastronomic diversity is likely a direct result of the diverse population that lives here. In this way, Paris hasn’t been all that different from what I’ve seen before in the States.

Another aspect I’ve really enjoyed about Paris is the size of the city, which is surprisingly small compared to others. For example, there are many European cities and capitals that are much larger than Paris, yet Paris feels so compact. Although it isn’t as simple as the grid layout in Manhattan, Paris offers great walkability. Given the abundance of tourist activities, many of them can be covered in quick succession, as they’re often no more than a 30-minute walk away at most. In a city as impressive as Paris, a 30-minute walk is quite manageable.

Given its popularity, Paris is undoubtedly tourist-friendly. English is widely spoken, which makes communication easier not just for Americans, but for people from all over the world. There are numerous resources, both in-person and online, that help tourists organize their trips and stays in Paris, so I completely understand the appeal of a holiday here.

This is all to say that this city has truly lived up to my expectations and hopes due to its development and strong appeal to tourists. As a student, even though I’m staying here for four months, I still view myself as a tourist since I’m definitely not a local. That said, as a long-term tourist, it has really been an accommodating and convenient city to live in—it’s been a slightly expensive semester, but worth every penny.