Touring the City and Learning the History - July 13

*I apologize for the delay, everything has been nonstop excitement*

Despite the fact that I went to bed at 1:30 in the morning, I felt ready for the day when I woke up. I got dressed and went for a quick breakfast in the hotel before meeting up with my classmates for our first official day. We all walked from our hotel to the Pantheon, stopping along the way to get advice from our instructor, Dr. Carter. We made our way to the Pantheon and met up with our amazing tour guide, Kevi.

The tour was in partnership with Paris Noir and focused on the unsung Black heroes of Paris's history. We started at the Pantheon and learned about the people who get accepted and the interesting people there. We traveled to the Luxembourg Garden and discussed the history of slavery in France and its colonies. We went to the French Senate building and discussed French politics regarding race in its politics. We went through the Parisian corridors and discussed Black authors and scholars. Our tour ended with lunch near the Place de la Sorbonne with our tour guide.

*In the midst of all this, I redownloaded Pokémon Go and have been playing with my classmates*

After lunch, we walked for a while until we found a bus stop to get on the Big Bus Tour. I was under the impression that we would hop on for a few stops and go back to the hotel. I ended up staying on that bus for nearly 2 hours and riding its entire route. We started off at the Notre Dame then to the Place de la Concorde and towards the Champs-Élysées. We headed towards the Arc de Triomphe and rode in the famous roundabout. We saw the backside of the Eiffel Tower, the Champ de Mars, the Grand Palais and Les Invalides. Our tour took us to the shopping district and I saw the famous Opera Garnier where The Phantom of The Opera is set. Our tour took us back to the Notre Dame and I finally got off.

Once my time on the bus ended, some classmates and I sat out in search of a nice place for some coffee. I picked out a spot in eyeshot of the Notre Dame and enjoyed my time with my new friends. We ordered sweet treats and talked for nearly two hours. We discussed our time in Paris, our lives in the university, and how surreal it all is. I loved every moment and am grateful that I can sit and savor these moments while abroad.

When everyone finished their treats, we walked back to the hotel, stopping at tourist traps along the way. Back at the hotel, I spent some time sitting in the lobby and working on my blog. I came back up to my room and continued to work on my blog while chatting with my roommates. This went on for hours until we decided to take a late-night walk around the city. We went on the metro around town, got crepes and toured the area around the hotel. It was amazing to walk around so late at night (safely, of course) and see what it is like over here. I am already so in love with the city and cannot wait to explore some more

♡ Katie