Year Abroad 09/10 Chat

OP

etudiant

I'm working in the 17th. Have only had one weekend here so far and went to La Parisienne which was fun. Apart from working and that, I've not really been up to much as I get back from work quite late and start early so only really have the weekends. And as I found out this Sunday, many places are closed on Sundays!! Any Parisan delights that you've found?

Ooh is the 17th nice? Haven't been there yet. What job are you doing? And what's La Parisienne? :o:

You can tell I've only just arrived in Paris!

Have you heard about this? >> http://www.journeesdupatrimoine.culture.fr/
LOADS of stuff open in Paris this weekend (yup, including Sunday!) that wouldn't normally be open to the public or that wouldn't normally be open for free. Also, there are loads of museums open for free on the first Sunday of each month. (I THINK it's the first Sunday - it could be the last. But more importantly, it's definitely a Sunday! :p:

)

Have you met many people here yet? I guess you haven't really had time. Is there anyone else from your university here in Paris as well?

Reply 23

etudiant

10

*Supernova*

Ooh is the 17th nice? Haven't been there yet. What job are you doing? And what's La Parisienne? :o:

You can tell I've only just arrived in Paris!

Have you heard about this? >> http://www.journeesdupatrimoine.culture.fr/
LOADS of stuff open in Paris this weekend (yup, including Sunday!) that wouldn't normally be open to the public or that wouldn't normally be open for free. Also, there are loads of museums open for free on the first Sunday of each month. (I THINK it's the first Sunday - it could be the last. But more importantly, it's definitely a Sunday! :p:

)

Have you met many people here yet? I guess you haven't really had time. Is there anyone else from your university here in Paris as well?

I don't think you'd really come to the 17th unless you were specifically trying to see all of the Parisian arrondissements or you came here for work. As far as I've made out it's quite a practical arrondissement, lots of offices, appartments, practical shops (supermarkets, boulangeries etc) and schools. And, the people at work have told me that it's not the most beuatiful of places either, although I really like it as it fits in with my stereotype of a Parisian quarter!

I'm basically working in an accounting company, doing all sorts. La Parisienne happened last Sunday as was basically a larger version of the Race for Life. 15,000French women all ran 6km around the Eiffel Tower to race money and awareness for breast cancer. And their respective companies went for a massive PR thing afterwards on the bit of grass/dirt in front of the Eiffel Tower? That's how I got to know it, through my company.

OMG! I did not know about this cultural, support France weekend! Thank you so much for telling me about it as I would have been completely oblivious to it! My life's been a bit metro-boulot-dodo at the minute - so will go and check some of them places out. Nope, haven't met many people outside of work at the minute, but that'll come with time. You're meeting loads through your uni? Has it started yet? All of my course mates went to other cities - but this is a brilliant excuse to go and visit them all at the weekends! Had heard of the free museum Sundays, and yes, it's the first Sunday of each month and also aren't there sometimes Nuit Blanches or something? Aren't they where the museums/touristy places stay open all night? Being in the Louvre at like 2am could be quite fun!

Reply 24

nearlyheadlessian

15

I'm in Uppsala, Sweden.

Reply 25

hannah_dru

A girl introduced herself at work today and said she goes to Aston too. What a small world! Now I have an English lady at work and someone who attends my uni. Yay! :biggrin:

Reply 26

*agridulce*

*Supernova*

I'm going to Paris 3... whereabouts are you working? Hope you're enjoying la vie parisienne so far. :smile:

How was finding accomodation in Paris?

Reply 27

lovers in japan

Anyone else spending Christmas abroad as part of their year abroad? I am... wish I could go home but still have class til end of January :frown:

Reply 28

museobsessed

14

ouch. thats horrid? I didn't spend Christmas abroad, but I only had a two week holiday, which is a bit different from the month long we have at Leicester. Easter was only a week! Wed-Wed it was really annoying

Reply 29

hannah_dru

Thankfully I'm not because I managed to get home yesterday. Otherwise I would've spent Christmas with a colleague and her family.

Reply 30

lovers in japan

*sigh* Guess it is just me then. Oh well... merry Christmas from China :p:

Only another 8 months til I get home, yay :biggrin:

Reply 31

hannah_dru

Merry Christmas :smile:

I don't want to come home permanently.

Reply 32

OP

*agridulce*

How was finding accomodation in Paris?

A bit tricky at first, but then I went through an agency who found me a French family, who I've been living with since I moved to Paris in September. PM me for any more info. :smile:

Reply 33

Anatheme

18

If you want an awesome restaurant in Paris, I recommend going to Chartier (7 rue du Faubourg Montmartre), the menu is really simple but the atmosphere bring your back to a very French era and, well, I can't really explain it, it's just very typically French, the food is excellent and it's not too expensive. Good plan if you go to le Musée Grévin, as it's right next to it.

Reply 34

jeh_jeh

You guys are all having an amazing time - I'm pleased for you. (:

I'm in Italy at the moment (well, not literally right this second - I go back next weekend) and I hate it. :frown:

Even the thought of going back makes me sick and upset. I'm not really eating or sleeping - haha, I don't cope with stress well, clearly! But, yeah. I made the (fatal) mistake of letting my uni find me somewhere to live, since I have quite specific requirements due to a fairly minor physical disability. Well, I got there and it's like a prison. We have an 11pm curfew, all-girls and they literally spend their entire time studying. And the only guest I'm allowed to have come and visit is my Mum, but she has the rest of the family back home, so can't get out to see me much. So I can go for days without seeing someone. I've obviously done all the obvious things - explored the city lots, and stuff, AND SHOPPED! - but now it's getting to the point where I'm bored.

Travelling's difficult since I don't have anyone to do it with, and it's not really safe for me to go on my own. I could move out of the place - I don't think there's any actual binding contract - but I have no one to live with (I've found making friends with Italians outside of my halls difficult. They all seem a bit cliquey. :s-smilie:

It's been an odd learning curve, given that I'm such a sociable person!), and the thought of trying to find a flat this late in the year is incredibly overwhelming, given that I don't imagine my home university are going to be too supportive.

I'm at university there, but it doesn't start back until 22nd February, but I have to go out when I am in accordance with my home university's policy. And then I have a massive gap at the end, too, because term finishes early for exams, but again my university has regulations about the 'standard' academic year. I dunno, I guess I just feel cheated. All the other people on my course seem to be having the time of their lives, and I'm just... not. It's billed as this great adventure, and I feel guilty for having such a bad time. I know I'm the only one who can improve it, but I'm fast running out of ideas.

I'm also in a LDR (and very close to my family), so I guess those play a major role, too. My boyfriend's a fresher on a demanding course, and I don't want to depress him because I know it must be difficult when we both know there's nothing either of us can do about it, yet I'm so upset all the time.

I just honestly don't know how I'm gonna kill a month of absolutely. nothing. I thought about a job, but it seems just as difficult to find work there as it is here. While my city's fairly big, it's not massive, or anything, and obviously my physical limitations (no barwork, no massive commute to work) just add to the fun.

I'm sorry for the massive rant, guys, and also for putting a bit of a downer on your thread - I just needed to vent somewhere, I guess... I feel bad being in tears all the time to my parents.

Reply 35

museobsessed

14

jeh_jeh

You guys are all having an amazing time - I'm pleased for you. (:

I'm in Italy at the moment (well, not literally right this second - I go back next weekend) and I hate it. :frown:

Even the thought of going back makes me sick and upset. I'm not really eating or sleeping - haha, I don't cope with stress well, clearly! But, yeah. I made the (fatal) mistake of letting my uni find me somewhere to live, since I have quite specific requirements due to a fairly minor physical disability. Well, I got there and it's like a prison. We have an 11pm curfew, all-girls and they literally spend their entire time studying. And the only guest I'm allowed to have come and visit is my Mum, but she has the rest of the family back home, so can't get out to see me much. So I can go for days without seeing someone. I've obviously done all the obvious things - explored the city lots, and stuff, AND SHOPPED! - but now it's getting to the point where I'm bored.

Travelling's difficult since I don't have anyone to do it with, and it's not really safe for me to go on my own. I could move out of the place - I don't think there's any actual binding contract - but I have no one to live with (I've found making friends with Italians outside of my halls difficult. They all seem a bit cliquey. :s-smilie:

It's been an odd learning curve, given that I'm such a sociable person!), and the thought of trying to find a flat this late in the year is incredibly overwhelming, given that I don't imagine my home university are going to be too supportive.

I'm at university there, but it doesn't start back until 22nd February, but I have to go out when I am in accordance with my home university's policy. And then I have a massive gap at the end, too, because term finishes early for exams, but again my university has regulations about the 'standard' academic year. I dunno, I guess I just feel cheated. All the other people on my course seem to be having the time of their lives, and I'm just... not. It's billed as this great adventure, and I feel guilty for having such a bad time. I know I'm the only one who can improve it, but I'm fast running out of ideas.

I'm also in a LDR (and very close to my family), so I guess those play a major role, too. My boyfriend's a fresher on a demanding course, and I don't want to depress him because I know it must be difficult when we both know there's nothing either of us can do about it, yet I'm so upset all the time.

I just honestly don't know how I'm gonna kill a month of absolutely. nothing. I thought about a job, but it seems just as difficult to find work there as it is here. While my city's fairly big, it's not massive, or anything, and obviously my physical limitations (no barwork, no massive commute to work) just add to the fun.

I'm sorry for the massive rant, guys, and also for putting a bit of a downer on your thread - I just needed to vent somewhere, I guess... I feel bad being in tears all the time to my parents.

I'm going to PM you

Reply 36

jeh_jeh

museobsessed

I'm going to PM you

PM'd you back, thanks. :yes:

Reply 37

OP

I've been lonely abroad before, so I know how it feels. :hugs:

Here's what I hope will be some helpful advice:

1) Get on the Internet, pick up the newspaper, check out noticeboards, anything and see if you can find a flat. There are always flats coming up for rent throughout the year, even if it's not with other students, and as far as I can see one of the main things that's making you miserable is your accomodation, so if you can possibly change this then I think everything else would just improve a lot.

2) Travel around. If you have a bit of spare cash (and you can probably do it quite cheaply anyway with RyanAir and hostels/crashing at a friend's place), travel round Italy or go to France or Spain or Austria, either by yourself or with a friend or maybe go and visit some other people from Warwick who are on their year abroads elsewhere in Europe. It'll fill your time, and you'll get to go to places you've maybe always wanted to see but never had the time/inclination to actually travel to.

3) Sign up to the local library and read, read, read. This'll keep your mind occupied as well as improving your language skills. You may as well try and get your Italian as good as you possibly can while you have the spare time on your hands. That way, you'll feel confident when you go back to university next year.

4) Could you do some volunteering? If it's difficult to find a job, I'm sure there are lots of places that wouldn't turn down an extra pair of hands for a month or so. No, you're not getting paid, but it's filling your time, improving your language skills,and giving you a nice glowy feeling inside. (Hopefully!)

5) Join a gym or go swimming or running or take up another new sport. I've found that exercise really can make a massive difference to the way you feel. Just an idea. Plus, that takes up a bit of time too, if you do it, say, 3 times a week, and helps give you more structure to what might otherwise seem like an empty day.

6) See if there's anything you can join or any courses you can sign up to in the local area. Often, older people/people who work rather than go to uni are more friendly and less cliquey, so that might be worth a go.

I don't know how small your town is, so I don't know really what's on offer, but I hope this is of some help. Good luck, and let me know if there's anything else you want to ask. :smile:

Reply 38

OP

jeh_jeh

PM'd you back, thanks. :yes:

Just replied but forgot to quote you - so here am I quoting you so you don't miss the reply! :p:

Reply 39

jeh_jeh