Hello! My name is Regine Vincent and I spent 3 weeks in Paris, France studying the history of the Golden Age of Paris. My time in Paris was magical, not only did I learn about the city, but I also learned a lot about myself and met tons of awesome people! This trip is one that I will never be able to forget. I am very thankful to all of the programs and people who made it possible for me to be able to study in Paris.

When my plane first landed in Paris, I was in a daze. In part due to the lack of sleep and serious jet lag, but even more so to my disbelief that I was finally achieving one of my life goals. Since I was a child I had dreamt of visiting Europe, but coming from a low-income family this had always seemed a distant possibility, but know this distant thing had become the reality. It took me a whole two week to finally fathom that I was truly, truly in Paris.

My favorite experience while abroad was when the class took a day trip to Giverny to visit the Museum of Impressionism as well as the home and garden of Claude Monet. The town was beautiful and Monet’s garden was breathtaking. Going to Giverny allowed me to experience a bit of the French country side and allowed me to witness what life is like in France outside of Paris. I also thoroughly enjoyed visiting many of the musuems in Paris and eating a lot of French food!

My time in Paris was short, but I know that it has undoubtedly affected and changed me. Traveling to Paris has only served to enrage my thirst to travel and see more of the world. I have long had a love for European history, so seeing many of the things that I had only ever read about was astounding. The ability to learn about the history of Paris and then that very same day be able to go and see the thing that I had just learned was fantastic. I was awed to be walking around so many layers of history, from Roman era baths, to 17^th century buildings, to Napoleonic statues.

My time in Paris allowed me to grow a further appreciation for art and its essential entwining with history. Since coming back, I have analyzed many things differently. Being in Paris thought me to really look at my surroundings and question why things are the way that they are. Without support from OVPDEMA I would not have been able to experience this beautiful city or this awesome experience.