Terra: Wandering Paris

… When I was staying in Versailles, I often took the train to Paris, usually all by myself. There is nothing like living in a foreign country at age seventeen, with no one remotely close to you, no one who speaks your language, no one to guide you- nothing else will quite teach you how […]

Terra: The Rich History of the Old World

… Something amazing about France and many other countries in Europe is that you can see just how astonishingly old the country is. Compared to the history of European countries, The United states’ history is just a blink. Of course I knew this before I went to France, but I never realized just how evident […]

Terra: French Style

… Maybe it’s a stereotype to say that the French are fashionable. Not all of them are. There are of course your average Joe’s who just wear jeans and tees all the time. The difference for me was that a larger amount of the population had higher fashion and/or beauty standards than the population in […]

Terra: Personal Space is a Relative Thing

… For anyone going to stay in France as more than just a tourist, it is important to realize something about the French people you may live with and befriend- they will not respect your ideals of personal space. The next time you interact with your friends, think about how far away you stand from […]

Terra: Versailles, Je Vous Adore

… My adventures in Versailles lasted from late October to mid-December. Versailles is a large city, which is about a ten minute drive from Paris… If there is no traffic. In reality it probably takes around a half hour to an hour if its rush hour, or there is always the train. The Versailles palace […]

Terra: In France, We Eat Well

… There are a lot of contradicting stereotypes about France I have heard over the years. Sometimes the first thing people think of is how snobby and perfectly thin all French people always seem to be. Others think of the most delicious crème brûlée, bagettes, fondue, and pinot noir. … … The truth is both […]

Terra: French Immersion – France

Immersion – this is a word that anyone who’s ever studied a foreign language has heard. It is tough to reach a certain level of mastery before being immersed in the language you’re studying, meaning that everyone around you is speaking that language. … … For me, that language was French and my way of […]

Terra: Le Louvre – Paris, France

Le Louvre- one of the world’s largest museums. It is home to some of the finest works of artists such as Leonardo Da Vinci, Claude Monet, and Auguste Renoir. There are sculptures, paintings, drawings, and countless other works of art. Also, Le Louvre is home to lots of ancient art and artifacts- both European and […]

Terra: Bon Appétit – France

What comes to mind when you think of France? It’s the history, perhaps? Or is it the language? Maybe you think of the culture. Personally, I think of a very specific part of French culture that is dear to both my heart and stomach. You guessed it – food.  … … Let’s begin by discussing […]

Terra: A Whole New World – Paris, France

Traveling overseas for the first time is a very exciting experience for me. Of course, the second and third times are great too, but the first time has a certain je ne sais quoi, a newness, that the other times don’t. I embark on my journey to France as an American who grew up in […]