One of the most vivid memories of my early childhood is related to the bathroom in the first house I ever lived in. More specifically, the decorations of said bathroom. Everyday as a young girl, I walked into the bathroom only to find myself gazing at a painting of the Eiffel Tower. 

Although it was most definitely bought on clearance at TJ Maxx and not an accurate rendition of the actual monument, I was allured by it. Paris is the first place outside my immediate surroundings I remember being cognizant of and wanting to travel to. I took French in high school without even considering another language because I was so entranced by the Francophone culture. My obsession with France grew into a promise from my parents to take me there for my golden birthday. However, my birthday is May 28, and there was no way I was waiting until I was 28 to when the opportunity arose to study abroad there.

I’ve been in Paris since Jan. 7, but the process began over a year ago. The application process and all the deadlines created a sense of dread about going abroad. There were so many i’s to dot and t’s to cross regarding housing, classes and, worst of all, the French visa. I could write an entire article on the horrors of the French visa process, but I think that stands for numerous countries’ student visas. Nevertheless, once all the pieces fell into place, I finally got a clear understanding of the end prize for the months of stress: I was living in Paris for four months.

Upon arrival, we were immediately ushered into our single apartments in the thirteenth arrondissement (basically the equivalent of a neighborhood like Chelsea or Gramercy in New York City) to unpack and get a lay of the land with an apartment dinner. Then, orientation. 

I thought Fordham’s freshman orientation was intense; at least I was not horribly jet-lagged. But we learned the do’s and don’ts of everyday Parisian life. The topic my friends and I found the most interesting is the intricate dining system that exists in all cafes and bistros. To eat, you sit at the square tables, but if you only want to drink, you sit at the circle tables. This caused a lot of confusion and stress when trying to order food and drinks, but I hope we have the gist now. 

We also got to take a two-day trip to the Loire Valley as a part of our orientation to see historic French castles. There was a lot of moaning and groaning about the long bus ride to stand in cold, old buildings, but I loved the chance to see the countryside so soon during my time in France. We got to see the house of Leonardo Da Vinci and try authentic French food while dining in a cave. But now, being cut loose is definitely better. 

One thing I did not consider during the exhaustive and time-consuming process of orientation was what would happen without the daily schedule. Come Sunday, I woke up with a slight panic. I did not know where to go or what to do. Thankfully, I have a group of friends from Fordham that I shockingly did not know previously but am grateful to know now. We went to see the Notre Dame Cathedral and tried Carette’s famous hot chocolate, which is most definitely worth the hype. 

Paris is a city of endless possibilities. You can start walking randomly and let the ever-twisting roads lead you to a street filled with cafes, shops and restaurants. Or, you can utilize any of the numerous free museums offered to students (I went to the Musée d’Orsay and was captivated by Monet’s work). You can shop, read, bike, walk, eat or just lovingly stare at the Eiffel Tower as I did when I finally got to see it in person for the first time. 

Acclimating can be tough, such as when I try to speak in French and instead, workers speak to me in English due to my obvious accent. Grocery shopping for the first time almost left me in tears. The little differences can be disconcerting, but also part of the reason I enjoy being here so much. 

I already feel the impending clock hanging over my head that counts down the amount of days I have left here. Only so many weekends to travel to other places while simultaneously balancing staying in Paris and enjoying the city for its wonderful beauty. My mom gave me a printed calendar of the months I had, saying, “You have 16 weeks. You need to try and make the best of them.” So that is what I am trying to do. I’ve learned my neighborhood, learned to say “bonsoir” instead of “bonjour” past 5 p.m. and where the eggs in the grocery store are (spoiler: they are not in the dairy section or refrigerated!). All that is left for me is to embrace my time abroad and make the best of it.