Capturing Paris and Connecting with New Friends while Studying Abroad

My photoset illustrates the ways I integrated into Paris while studying abroad with CEA CAPA. I wanted my images to show me meeting new people, my daily routine, and the attractions I got to see. I loved ending school days by strolling around Paris with my camera. It was so picturesque and fun discovering all the cute cafés with flowers dangling from the storefronts.  

In these photos you’ll also see an elevated sense of style in Paris by the way people are dressed. It was exciting for me to dress up for classes and for events that I’d typically wear sweats to in the U.S. 

 

What I Captured 

A major theme in this photoset is making new friends while studying abroad. Connecting with others in the Paris study abroad program was what made my semester studying abroad in France more exciting.  

It was so fun to go sightseeing with the people I met through the CEA CAPA. 

Two memorable events that I photographed were the French vs. Austria soccer game and the Seine boat tour. The game was such an amazing time because it allowed us to experience how the French show national spirit while also bonding amongst ourselves. 

The Seine boat tour was also a great moment because it was one of the first activities that we did as a CEA CAPA group. It’s where I got to know where everyone was from and connected with students who were in my study abroad classes. 

We also got the incredible opportunity to go on a fashion tour led by one of our CEA CAPA professors. On the tour we discovered designer stores around Place Vendôme and ended our lovely walk at the Palais Royal. That’s where I met more friends that have a similar passion for style. 

This was a beautiful moment at Palais Royal. We stopped here at the end of a fashion walk that one of our CEA CAPA professors gave. 

I captured the image below at the Alaïa afore Alaïa exhibit. I went on this excursion during my Haute Couture class and it’s just a glimpse of what I learned by studying abroad in Paris. 

 
I also wanted to show images that reflect how I started living on a daily basis in Paris.  One of my favorite places to go was the Centre Pompidou. I liked going there with my friends after class to complete homework in a productive place. 

 

My Pictorial Purpose 

My photoset also contains images of sights that I found breathtaking. One place that really stood out to me was the Sacre Coeur. After seeing the inside of the chapel, I can say I’ve truly never seen more intricate architecture anywhere else. Another site I’ll return to is Musee d’Orsay. This photo shows the wide variety of art at the exhibit. 

 

Studying abroad in France was a picture-perfect time filled with new people and adventures. I wanted to capture what made my time there and how my early experiences shaped the rest of my study abroad story. 

Learn more about Study Abroad in Paris, France.