Advice

Buttes ChaumontParis is a very interesting place to discover. It is a beautiful city full of history and art. When I got here, the first settling arrangements were somewhat difficult. Errands don’t get done as easily as in the US.  Nevertheless, they get done so be patient. When getting a cell phone, minutes are very expensive so if you are staying for a year, get the year plan. To get groceries it depends on the neighborhood but one of the things that I have enjoyed the most is going to the markets on Sundays. The Bastille market has very good prices and you can get plenty of fruits and vegetables for less.

            The 20th arrondissement is a great place that is not very explored by tourists. My favorite park in the city is Butte Chaumont and it is located in the 20th arrondissement. It has beautiful waterfalls and a great view of the Sacred Heart. I would also recommend exploring Le Canal Saint-Martin where there is plenty of restaurants and people when there is nice weather. You can go to the market on a Sunday, buy some food for a picnic and have it at Butte Chaumont.

            I would also recommend exploring contemporary art in Paris since it is so great. You can buy the Paris Capitale, a magazine that lists all of the events around Paris. The Gustave Moreau museum in the 9th arrondissement is really worth going to and also the Musee de l’Orangerie where you can see Monet’s water lilies. Don’t be afraid to explore outside the conventional museums and go to smaller museums such as the Zadkine museum next to the Jardin de Luxembourg.

            French people are not the most unkind people and it is always good to have an open attitude and smile. It is like in every country where there are all kinds of people. Young people here are very immature and I feel like they don’t experience as many things as Americans do when they leave home for college and study abroad.

            The NYU program is very good and I think that it is mainly up to the person to make the most of it. There is much help and there are all of the resources to help students with their French. I recommend taking classes with Isabelle De La Maison Rouge. She is a great art teacher who can teach you much about art in Paris. The library is not very large but you can go to any of the libraries in Paris. The library at the Pompidou is a great resource where you can find books in any subject you’d like. Taxis are very hard to get at night so if you get a chance, get a taxi number (from a driver) so that you can call that taxi driver in case of emergency.

            My advice is to make the most out of your experience and push the limits of the conventional Paris experiences. France is a beautiful country with plenty of places and people to discover.