From Classroom to Café: My Experience Studying Abroad in the City of Lights

Picking a college and figuring out where you want to spend your next four years can be an overwhelming experience for anyone. However, something I knew I was looking for in a university to keep me grounded in my decision was if they had any abroad programs available for undergraduate students. Traveling is a passion of mine, so the idea of exploring new cultures while completing my academics sounded like a win-win situation. Thankfully, the 美国北卡罗来纳大学教堂山分校 has various programs and destinations for several majors and multiple scholarship opportunities. I was awarded the Summer Study Abroad Fellowship along with my acceptance to UNC, and that is one of the many reasons I chose this university.?

I was so excited about the opportunity to go abroad that I went as soon as possible. The summer after my freshman year, I studied for six and a half weeks in Paris, France, with IES Abroad . I completed two courses: Global Marketing and Luxury Business Strategies and Communications. Taught by two excellent instructors, Benji Fox and Sébastien Santos , our class learned about the fundamentals of how to reach international markets in industries like fashion, for example, and ways we can apply these lessons in our future careers. In our program of about 20 students from different universities across the United States, we would explore the city and take in the French culture when we were not in class or studying. Paris is a beautiful city known for its breathtaking architecture, fashion, art, cuisine, and iconic sights like the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe. However, after exploring every inch of Paris, I have to say my favorite spots were the acres of gardens intricately placed across the city that were peaceful and quiet, even though they were surrounded by the chaotic atmosphere of city traffic and busy cafés.?

Another benefit of studying abroad that is not mentioned enough is your ability to explore neighboring cities and countries on the weekends. My friends and I visited Marseille on the coast of France to swim in the Mediterranean, Normandy to visit the beaches where soldiers sacrificed their lives on D-Day in 1944 during World War II, and London to visit the United Kingdom and get some fish and chips, of course.?

Visiting Paris and traveling through Europe has been a dream of mine ever since I can remember, and I am so thankful I got to achieve that goal through the 美国北卡罗来纳大学教堂山分校 and studying abroad. It is a unique and captivating experience that I highly recommend to anyone thinking about doing it. Since leaving no stone unturned in Paris, I look forward to my future adventures abroad. A few places on my bucket list include:?

• Italy
• Switzerland
• Thailand?
• Spain?
• Ireland?
• New Zealand
• Denmark

Thanks for reading!