Preparations

In 3 days, I will be boarding a transatlantic flight to Paris... it never seemed like the day would come!  I will be studying at ESCP-Europe, one of the top European business schools.  The school is located in the heart of the city, and has about 2,000 students. Interesting fact: former Prime Minister of France Jean-Pierre Raffarin graduated from ESCP.  I will be taking 4 classes this semester, which translates back to 12 credits at UW- this is actually the recommended amount by UW for a semester abroad.  Each class is held only once a week, for 3 hours with a small break halfway through.  Supposedly the Americans spend this break downing coffee, and the French spend the break smoking in the courtyard haha. typical.  Also, I only have classes Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, which leaves me nice long weekends for exploring Paris and traveling around Europe!

I will be staying in an apartment on the border of the 10th/11th arrondissements with 5 other girls from Madison.  All the girls are extremely nice and outgoing, so I'm positive it's going to be a fun semester!  A few other people from Madison stayed in the same apartment a year ago and really recommended the place and the landlord, Phillipe.  One of our roommates, Meghan, has been emailing back and forth with Phillipe, and he wished us all a "glittering" New Year! haha.  The apartment is luckily fully furnished, so basically all I need to bring is myself, my two suitcases filled to the brim with clothes and other essentials, and a thirst for adventure.

The past few months, and especially the past week, have been full of preparations for the trip.  I first had to apply for a visa, which was a confusing 2-month process that included a trip to the French Consulate in Chicago.  I also had to sign up for classes at ESCP- this was not nearly as easy as at UW.  Additionally, all students studying abroad through the business school had to take the prep class International Business 399, which to say the least was a waste of time if you've traveled abroad a lot.

In these last 3 days, I will be attempting to finish packing and squeeze in time to say goodbye to my friends.  I have also been reading a few Paris guidebooks to better understand the history and meaning behind some of the city's famous architecture and monuments.  Although I've been to Paris a few times before, there is obviously a huge difference between visiting a place for a couple days and living there for 5 months.  I'm not quite sure what to expect actually living in a foreign country, but I am leaving the States with an open mind- I am soooo excited to see what crazy adventures I have! Au revoir.