5 Secrets to Studying Abroad in France
By TDF. Filed in study |
If studying abroad is wonderful then studying abroad in France is wondrous.
Here are some treasures on how to best explore one of the most
beautiful countries on earth in between all of those pesky tests and
papers…
1. Don’t bring anything that might have to be dry cleaned! You will
find doing your laundry in a Laundromat quite expensive compared to the
States, the prices for dry cleaning are astronomical, as it’s still not
a very common practice. Should you discover a red wine stain on your
favorite ‘dry clean only’ shirt that made its way into your suitcase
against better advise, look for a Pressing or Blachisserie and ask for
a “nettoyage à sec” (TIP: Before forking over for a dry cleaning bill,
the best way to get a red wine stain out of clothes is by pouring it’s
friend white wine all over it, honest!)
2. Because the water in France is a lot “softer” than in the
States, your hair and skin may not feel as clean even after washing.
For this reason, it’s best not to bring your own products from home,
but to buy products here that are specially adapted and produced
according to the minerals in the water. You can go to any of the beauty
supply stores and talk to a sales lady about it and they can direct you
to a product that’s right for you.
3. For a truly interesting movie going experience in Paris, be sure
to visit La Pagode. The manager of the store Bon Marché imported a real
pagoda from Japan for his wife to use as a ballroom! Unfortunately they
soon divorced, and it was turned into a movie theater that makes for a
brilliant experience…be sure to ask for the salle japonaise. (57 rue de
Babylone 75007)
4. When headed to the cinema, the matinees are always cheapest. But
pay attention to the rules of each movie house, because in some this
may be any film played before noon, but in others it may just be the
first film of the day. Many theaters also have reduced ticket prices on
Mondays and Wednesdays. (TIP: Be sure the film is in VO, version
originale, played in English with subtitles and not dubbed over in
French, VF!)
5. If you are studying abroad in Nice, be sure to visit one of the
few internet cafés in the city, located at 8 Rue Vincent, just at the
corner of Rue Pontin in the Old Town. They have wi-fi and cable TV,
great food and snack, and Happy Hour for drinks starting at 5 pm. Plus
it’s run by a lovely Englishman who has been living in Nice for over 15
years, and is a great resource on where to go and what to do in the
city.
