![\"\"](\"http:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2017\/09\/22095273_10210336534431441_1252351602_o-450x253.jpg\")
<\/p>\nOk, so I\u2019m not here to tell you it\u2019s all going to be terrible but I am going to be brutally honest about a few of the struggles I had upon my arrival in Paris and during my first couple of weeks here. Before you get reading, start worrying and over thinking, it\u2019s not all doom and gloom and of course, it does and will improve exponentially throughout the year and then no doubt, settling back in for fourth year at Cardiff will be the next challenge! The plan here is also to throw in a few little cultural observations I\u2019ve made at the end, so don\u2019t get too disheartened and do carry on reading!<\/p>\n
TRANSPORT<\/p>\n
As with moving to any new city, getting about the place is one of the first hurdles you will encounter. Therefore, public transport must be at the top of your to-do list upon arrival. Having lived fairly rurally back home, I have driven myself everywhere since the age of 17 and in Cardiff, as I\u2019m sure you are all by now aware, everywhere is within walking distance. Of course, I have used the tube, and various other forms of public transport when travelling, but it has never been part of my everyday. If like me, you also have a dodgy sense of direction, Apple \/ Google Maps or Citymapper will become your new best pal. Once you have your daily commute down, the rest (including all of the getting lost) becomes exploring. The cost of public transportation is obviously city dependant but I would advise looking into some kind of travel pass (e.g. Navigo card in Paris) to make this aspect of your year abroad life as economic as possible.<\/p>\n
HOUSING<\/p>\n
Accommodation was my top pre-departure concern. I had somewhat underestimated how difficult it would be to find somewhere even remotely affordable in central Paris. This has resulted in me\u00a0living in a semi-suburban Air B&B room in a shared flat, which is working out well for the most part but has left me a little further away from other students than I would have perhaps liked and will definitely look for in Lyon. Thus, be organised and start looking for somewhere to live ASAP. It can be a little scary when you\u2019re on the verge of homelessness just days before your flight but if it comes to that, remember there are always temporary options and it could be easier to find somewhere once you\u2019re actually in your new country.<\/p>\n
EXPENSES<\/p>\n
Moving from the Welsh capital to the French, there has certainly been a jump in expenses so your finances are another boring adult measure to bear in mind. I\u2019ve been\u00a0learning the hard way thus far.<\/p>\n
LANGUAGE & CULTURE<\/p>\n
Now for the language barrier. This one was of course to be expected. Your target language is going to sound a little different in context and when spoken by your native peers than it has ever done in the confines of a classroom spoken by your numerous teachers over the years. I\u2019ve got all my hopes set on the idea that only time will improve this aspect, practice makes perfect etc. In all honesty, when moving to a major European city the \u201cculture shock\u201d that everybody speaks of isn\u2019t going to be massive, you\u2019ll probably only notice a few little quirks.<\/p>\n
BEING LONELY<\/p>\n
I read somewhere recently that Paris is known as a lonely city and this reinforcement of something that I had been feeling, in turn made me feel much better about it and changed my outlook on this experience completely. As clich\u00e9 as it may sound, your year abroad really is a time you can utilise to \u201cfind yourself\u201d (as much as I tend to despise the term). Being alone is sometimes something we all need to embrace and self-entertainment, whether it\u00a0be exploring your new home, studying or reading, is most definitely a valuable skill.<\/p>\n
BAGUETTES, BERETS AND BICYCLES<\/p>\n
To put all the rumours to bed, there aren\u2019t men with handlebar moustaches walking around in striped t-shirts with strings of garlic or onions about their necks. There are however plenty of beret wearing ladies, lots of people on bicycles and people walk around with many a baguette (often nibbled at, as I think I have demonstrated rather well below) under one arm \/ in an artsy tote bag.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
SMOKING<\/p>\n
Everybody smokes. Ok, not everybody. But people of every age, on every street corner, are smoking. The smoking break at a nearby office looks to a passer-by somewhat like there has been a fire drill given the amount of people who have left said building.<\/p>\n
MILITARY \/ POLICE PRESENCE<\/p>\n
Perhaps it\u2019s coming from a small town into a big city that has made me realise the heightened military and police presence, but armed police literally seem to be everywhere. Like ants on the ground.<\/p>\n
NOBODY QUEUES<\/p>\n
As much as I hate to make generalisations, nobody in Paris queues and you\u2019ve got to be much more assertive en route to the till or whilst embarking the m\u00e9tro.<\/p>\n
GREEN DOESN\u2019T MEAN GO<\/p>\n
A green man means proceed with caution not go. Vehicles can (and will) still come at you from the left. This one, fortunately, I haven’t learnt the hard way.<\/p>\n
EXPRESSION & EMOTION<\/p>\n
People get visibly angry and cry in public. It’s so very un-British.<\/p>\n
![\"IMG_7385\"](\"https:\/\/tasdetrucs.files.wordpress.com\/2017\/09\/img_73851.jpg\")
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Ok, so I\u2019m not here to tell you it\u2019s all going to be terrible but I am going to be brutally honest about a few of the struggles I had […]","protected":false},"author":1421,"featured_media":2673,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[268],"tags":[205,298,42,75,13,90,19,197],"class_list":["post-2677","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-europe","tag-cuabroad","tag-erasmus-france","tag-erasmus","tag-france","tag-predeparture","tag-studying","tag-uponarrival","tag-year-abroad"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4QQbz-Hb","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":303,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/the-start-of-my-time-in-chambery-france\/","url_meta":{"origin":2677,"position":0},"title":"The start of my time in Chamb\u00e9ry, France","author":"Alice Whelan","date":"December 21, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"I am a French and Spanish third year student at Cardiff University, currently in south-east France in the small Alpine city of Chamb\u00e9ry. For the first semester of my Year Abroad I am studying here at the Universit\u00e9 de Savoie, before heading to Spain in February to focus on my\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "European Placements"","block_context":{"text":"European Placements","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/category\/europe\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2014\/12\/P1070593-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2014\/12\/P1070593-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2014\/12\/P1070593-scaled.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2014\/12\/P1070593-scaled.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2014\/12\/P1070593-scaled.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2014\/12\/P1070593-scaled.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":307,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/erasmus-the-first-few-days\/","url_meta":{"origin":2677,"position":1},"title":"Erasmus: The first few days","author":"Chlo\u00eb Hathway","date":"January 3, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"The first week of the year abroad is possibly one of the most challenging and daunting of your life so far, but don\u2019t let that put you off! Although it was difficult and stressful, it was also a huge learning curve, and is well worth working through as you reap\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "European Placements"","block_context":{"text":"European Placements","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/category\/europe\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2015\/01\/IMG_2296.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2015\/01\/IMG_2296.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2015\/01\/IMG_2296.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2015\/01\/IMG_2296.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2015\/01\/IMG_2296.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2015\/01\/IMG_2296.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":160,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/the-city-of-leuven-how-did-it-plan-out\/","url_meta":{"origin":2677,"position":2},"title":"The city of Leuven – how did it ‘plan’ out?","author":"Wendy Maden","date":"August 28, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Wendy Maden, final year student on the BSc City and Regional Planning, reflects on her experience of studying abroad through the Erasmus programme Wendy, third from the right, pictured in Leuven with friends made while on the Erasmus programme. Wendy stated: \"This photo summarises Erasmus quite well: Swedish, Italian, German,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "European Placements"","block_context":{"text":"European Placements","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/category\/europe\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Wendy Maden Erasmus","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2014\/08\/Wendy-Maden-225x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":324,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/first-semester-abroad-in-chambery\/","url_meta":{"origin":2677,"position":3},"title":"First semester abroad in Chamb\u00e9ry","author":"Lucy Pierce","date":"January 31, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"I chose languages as my joint honours degree, partly because I love the culture and history of foreign countries and learning the language is the best way of immersing yourself. However, like any normal person, it\u2019s very daunting knowing your going away for the whole year, but, if you never\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "European Placements"","block_context":{"text":"European Placements","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/category\/europe\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2015\/01\/Screen-Shot-2014-11-26-at-13.33.10.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2015\/01\/Screen-Shot-2014-11-26-at-13.33.10.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2015\/01\/Screen-Shot-2014-11-26-at-13.33.10.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2015\/01\/Screen-Shot-2014-11-26-at-13.33.10.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":253,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/coucou-tout-le-monde\/","url_meta":{"origin":2677,"position":4},"title":"Coucou, tout le monde!","author":"Kathryn Muldoon","date":"November 26, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Three very eventful months into the first stage of my Erasmus story, it\u2019s probably time to reflect a little on my time so far in Lyon. And why is it that I\u2019m in Lyon, you may ask? As a French (and German, but more on that in a few months)\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "European Placements"","block_context":{"text":"European Placements","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/category\/europe\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2014\/11\/DSCN0539-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2014\/11\/DSCN0539-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2014\/11\/DSCN0539-scaled.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2014\/11\/DSCN0539-scaled.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2014\/11\/DSCN0539-scaled.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2014\/11\/DSCN0539-scaled.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3539,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/its-all-fun-and-games\/","url_meta":{"origin":2677,"position":5},"title":"It’s all fun and games","author":"Phoebe Grinter","date":"December 19, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"At Verona university the Erasmus society is highly regarded, and rightly so. They organised a freshers\u2019 fortnight specifically for Erasmus students which included meals, nights out and aperitivo evenings where we could meet new people from all over the world that we were going to be sharing this experience with.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "European Placements"","block_context":{"text":"European Placements","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/category\/europe\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2018\/12\/43419388_10213111583330130_2875051107942400000_n-2-360x450.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"meta_box":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2017\/09\/IMG_7385-scaled.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2677","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1421"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2677"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2677\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2681,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2677\/revisions\/2681"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2673"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2677"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2677"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2677"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}