Today is the last day of the Thomas Ahrens International Work and Study Program of 2018. Many of us are happy to go home while others continue their journey around Europe. My roommate Stephanie and I have finally booked our hotels and rides to Venice and Milan. France has been great but I’m truly looking forward to sitting on a gondola in the Rialto Bridge in Venice!

At 8am sharp, Professor Abreu and our Liaison Yvonne knocked on my door for room inspection. Our room inspection was suppose to take 10 minutes however it took more because we had an early morning chat with them. We were really chatting up a storm with a very good early morning conversation!

I continued my day by taking the metro for the last time to Champs- Elysees where Professor Zinder gave us our first walking tour. I stopped at Abercrombie & Fitch to do a little shopping. I walked around and decided to eat Parisian McDonalds for the last time. The McDonalds here is amazing! That’s something I’ll truly miss.

We then walked to the Arc de Triomphe, where we saw a marching band and many sergeants and guards under it. I did not understand exactly what was going on and I definitely did not want to ask the very serious police officer if he spoke enough English to be able to tell me what was going on.

Many students went out to explore Paris, buy last minute souvenirs while others stood back at the hotel to do laundry, cook and pack their suitcases.

For the grand finale, many of us will go out to dinner to celebrate these amazing 3 weeks that we’ve had with a cheerful toast of blanc or noir. Myself and five other really great students went out for dinner and had a wonderful night filled with lots of laughter,storytelling and picture taking. I feel like this program has brought new friends.

Paris has treated us great but now its time to say our goodbyes and go back to New York City.

Until next time, from Paris with love!

Abercrombie & Fitch

Arc de Triomphe

Dinner at Il Giardino