My Favorite Things About the CEA CAPA Paris Study Center
In focusing on the spaces and relationships that shape the experience of studying abroad, I use this series of photos to illustrate the CEA CAPA Paris Study Center. Paris is primarily known for its architectural and scenic picturesque attractions, but this project turns a spotlight on the quieter and more intimate quarters that students like myself visit, the spaces where we learn, collaborate, and develop community. The study rooms, classrooms, and shared spaces of the center serve as the context for documenting our study abroad experience.
Students emerging after a long day of learning.
School flags lining the staircase to show their partnership with the Paris program.
The intention of this photoset is to demonstrate the daily lives of students in this space. The familiar walls and faces. The photographs, in their candid moments and observational compositions, seek to express how these environments facilitate both individual focus and collective learning.
A group of friends waiting together between classes.
A board in the center I pass by every day that leaves a smile on my face.
Loosely scattered throughout are notebooks, laptops, common tables, and informal discussions that carry the intellectual symbols of these spaces all through the semester. This project has a broader focus on faculty and classroom environments as well as individual characters who truly make the experience special.
A glimpse into what the eyes of a CEA CAPA Paris study abroad student sees every day.
A play on words, displaying the comfort of guidance, whether in person or through weekly email letters.
I also hope this photoset illustrates how academic mentorship affects the experience of studying abroad outside traditional school structures. Having a good support system to lean on when in a foreign country can be the backbone of your experience. These are the exchanges that create a significant community developed from the center and the shared experiences of living and studying in a foreign city together, establishing a temporary, meaningful community and lasting interpersonal links.
A photo of my friend taking some time to focus on his homework in an empty space.
A collage I enjoy in the center that is representative of our study destination and the creativity that thrives here.
In terms of aesthetics, I am employing architectural framing, natural light, and the spatial composition of the interior of a building, to underline the interaction that exists between humans and their environment. The doors, windows, desks, and the corridors serve both structural and thematic purposes as I lead the viewer through the Study Center, to help viewers better understand the composition of the structure but also to know something deeper of what goes on there.
A space in the center that feels inclusive featuring clocks from different times across major cities.
A couple staff members who make the experience special every day.
In the end, I aim to capture the small but significant moments that shape life at the CEA CAPA Paris Study Center. Through the examination of everyday academic spaces and the individuals who occupy them, I have worked to demonstrate the convergence of learning, mentorship, and cultural exchange in defining what the study abroad experience means.
