Bonjour à tous,

We have made it to our first weekday of our memorable three-week Paris experience. It is amazing to see how quickly everyone is adjusting to the customs and traditions of the French lifestyle. From walking through the city and seeing all of the notable landmarks and locations to interacting with local city residents, we are absorbing everything that this great city has to offer. However, the best thing to mention about this experience is that this is only our third day here. Our Parisian journey has only just begun and the events that we experienced today are prime examples of the rest of the unforgettable events that are yet to come.

This morning, we began our first set of walking tours that were conducted by our fellow classmates. The first destination that we visited was Le Musée d’Orsay. The team of Gabrielle, Tiffany, and Ambar did a fantastic job in describing the history and the exhibits of Le Musée d’Orsay. The brochures that the team provided were also very helpful in understanding the history and the exhibits even more. Even though we didn’t have the opportunity to go inside the museum, it was a worthwhile experience to see the amazing architecture of the building and the immaculate sculptures that were next to the building.

The second walking tour that was scheduled for today was at Le Cimetière du Père Lachaise. The team that conducted the tour of Le Cimetière du Père Lachaise consisted of Aya, Victoria, Hope, and me. It was an amazing experience guiding the group through this majestic location filled with immaculate tombstones and a peaceful ambience. Also, describing some of the notable people that are buried in the cemetery to the rest of the group, such as Edith Piaf and Oscar Wilde, was an educational and interesting experience for all of us. This memorable walking tour made us feel like professional tour guides.

To conclude this fantastic day in Paris, some of us decided to traverse the stairs of the famous Notre Dame Cathedral to take a glance of the view from above. After trekking the 400-stair climb, we were rewarded with a beautiful view of the entire city of Paris. From seeing the glistening water of the Seine to the tall Eiffel Tower, we knew that this was an amazing reward for our hard work. Finally, as a second reward for our efforts, we shared a fantastic meal at Le Petit Châtelet. The Suprême de Poulet au Jus that I ordered introduced an incredible savory flavor to my palate. This day was filled with new experiences that I thought was impossible to experience. I hope that tomorrow and the rest of our days here in Paris are filled with memories similar to this one. À bientôt!

The Eiffel Tower at Sunrise

Le Musée d’Orsay

Oscar Wilde’s grave

Notre Dame Cathedral and the Amazing View

The Suprême de Poulet au Jus