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Sports writer chronicles studying abroad in the ‘city of light’

Over the summer, I was given the opportunity to travel to Paris, France for three weeks. While working for The Manchester Times, I am foremost a student. To be there I was a part of a study abroad program. I studied Modern World Literature with three other students while traveling with 13.

In Paris, we lived in student housing for our short-term course. Instead of booking a hotel, we were fully immersed into the lifestyle of an international student in Paris.

In our part of town, there were no hotels or tourist traps. Instead, we had grocery stores, restaurants, and a Metro station to connect us to the center of the city.

The first day there, we did a walking tour of the Montmartre neighborhood. This area of the city features the Sacre-Coeur Basilica, a Roman Catholic church, and the Moulin Rouge. Aside from the main attractions, the area has a variety of restaurants and shops to visit. Many times throughout our time, we would revisit this neighborhood.

The next excursion was the number one bucket list item for Paris: visiting the Eiffel Tower. Our group booked tickets to visit the second level of the tower. Looking out into the city, you can see for miles. One of the first things viewed is the Sacre-Coeur Basilica on top of Montmartre.

The Place du Trocadero is one of the most famous places to visit from the outside. In truth, anywhere with a clear view is beautiful. They say the Eiffel Tower is not the center of the city, but the tower can be viewed from the most random spots close or far away.

While the Place du Trocadero is a famous place to view, my personal favorite view of the Eiffel Tower was on Metro Line 6 between the Passy and Bir-Hakeim. If you manage to get the window on the correct side, for a split second you get the most beautiful view of the tower.

At night however, the Eiffel Tower will sparkle. If you ever travel, research on how the city is running the lights on the tower during your stay. While I was there, the lights turned on at nightfall and shut down before midnight without a closing sparkle. The only time to view the tower was from 11:00 to 11:05.

A few days later, I visited the Latin Quarter. It took a few days to fully understand my surroundings. In the Sixth Arrondissement were the Luxembourg Gardens, where my class was held, near the Pantheon.

Just walking down the street in the area spits pedestrians into the Latin Quarter, Fifth Arrondissement. The Latin Quarter features Notre-Dame, Shakespeare and Co. and plenty of retail.

In my three weeks there, I was privileged enough to hit all the big sights like The Louvre, Versailles, the Catacombs and Arc de Triomphe.

But then I would return to my dorm to do homework and eat frozen pizza. Thanks to my extended time in the city, I had time to fully experience the city both as a tourist and a temporary resident. My time in the city changed my life. If you, dear reader, ever get the chance to visit, let Paris change you too.