This past semester, I
took a class called Contemporary Paris. The class was about urban life and
modern issues in the city of Paris, France. We discussed both current events
and the history of Paris, and we learned a bit of the language in preparation
for the study tour over spring break. I chose to complete this experience
because I find urban life and different cultures very interesting, and I wanted
to expand my horizons globally. This experience was definitely eye opening, and
it helped me become more understanding of people from different backgrounds. It
helped me let go of some stereotypes I had about the French and other European
countries, and it taught me why some of the stereotypes, such as being rude, became stereotypes in the first place. I learned the most during the week we spent in Paris, as I was able to interact directly with the people we were learning about. It was very fascinating to see how their lives differed, but how at the same time they weren't all that different from us. Touring all the museums gave me a deeper understanding of their history. I was able to see places and artifacts that were older than the US itself, which is mind boggling.
This experience was very impactful and has inspired me to do more traveling
abroad. I would like to participate in the International Co-op Program and work
in Germany my junior year. Before the class, I had almost no knowledge of the
history of Paris, or even of modern Paris, though I had been abroad to Greece
before. It was interesting to see the connections between the two, such as the Greek
sculptures in the Louvre and the Madeleine’s architectural similarities to the
Parthenon. After this experience, I feel like I can better understand and communicate
with people of different cultures, and I have a greater appreciation for their
history and art.
Below I have attached the final project for this class. I wrote a paper comparing the streets of Paris to the streets of Cincinnati (or Ohio or the US if Cincinnati-specific information was not available). The class focused a lot on comparing Paris to other cities, especially Cincinnati, and the streets have both a very deep history and are where modern life occurs, so I felt this topic was representative of the purpose of the class.
Below I have attached the final project for this class. I wrote a paper comparing the streets of Paris to the streets of Cincinnati (or Ohio or the US if Cincinnati-specific information was not available). The class focused a lot on comparing Paris to other cities, especially Cincinnati, and the streets have both a very deep history and are where modern life occurs, so I felt this topic was representative of the purpose of the class.
french_final_paper.docx | |
File Size: | 20 kb |
File Type: | docx |