I lived in Paris last year while i did a Transfer for University and it was probably the greatest experience ive ever had.
I lived just across the seine from the Louvre in between saint germain des pres and Rivoli.
When I decided to go i made a super rash decision and just up and left when i got the acceptance from the University.... I really had no idea what i was getting into, and being 22 moving to Paris, speaking no french, not having seen my apartment, knowing where i was living, knowing a single person in the entire city, or knowing a speck of anything Parisian, i was able to integrate myself with relative ease.
One thing i would do if i wasnt going there to go to University, which made meeting people pretty easy, would be to get into tons of extra curricular activities with co-workers etc. For myself, that was the part that made my experience amazing.
After actually living there, having an apartment, grocery shopping etc...i would move back to work in a heartbeat. Makesure you check out your apartment and knowt he area its in and remember a few things...
- people will be dicks everywhere in the world...paris is no different..there are nice people, and asshats..
- Things are more expensive...its europe...your getting an amazing experience and culturally enriching experience as a substitute...
- You will have days when you freak out and it gets overwhelming.. (re: standing outside a cell phone store and being speechless at what ive gotten myself into)
- it wont kill you
- future employeers will love it
and above all...when are you going to have another opportunity to do it? ill bet never. I had 1 opportunity in University, grabbed it, ran with it, and it has literally been the best memory of my life since.
bottom line. do it.
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