My Exchange at Paris-Sorbonne University
Oh, where to start. I guess from the beginning. I had studied for four years working towards a conjoint degree of Biology and History. I was just trudging along doing the usual Auckland University stuff, just being a student. Never in my mind came the idea of doing an exchange abroad. It was only last year that one of my friends approached me and said “I’m going to study in Lyon next year.” ” That’s in France right”. I was quite excited for him, it was certainly a bold move and a good opportunity. Then he suggested I do a semester abroad too. Unfortunately, he never ended up going to Lyon, but I will always be very grateful to him for showing me the way. But where to go. I had a few places in mind, maybe Lyon, maybe the UK, maybe elsewhere, but Paris and the Sorbonne were always first. Ah, Paris! Perhaps I thought the city of lights would enlighten me. It certainly did and much more.
Why go to the literal other side of the world? First, I was kind of cheating since I was born in France, not far from Paris. I have family there, I speak French (I have a French passport). So it was an occasion to see family, to practice a French that was fading from lack of use, and to return to my homeland. Second, it would be cool to do an exchange. To gain a bit of independence on the other side of the world, to experience new things and start spreading my wings a bit. It would be the first time I would leave home and live by myself. So I applied and was accepted. It felt like a natural choice. I did all the rigmarole and admin sent in the forms. 360 international was always very helpful and supportive throughout what was for me uncharted waters.
There were difficulties, like communicating with the host university. France has many formalities employed in emails, forms and even conversations. There were rules and conventions I was not always aware of. And being in the antipodes you couldn’t just pop in for a chat. Accommodation was also a challenge (I was lucky to find some student accommodation, and if you have the chance it is by far the best option, cheaper and more convenient). And even getting a Visa/Passport from Auckland turned into quite the adventure. I took an 11 hour bus down to Wellington (and another back), stayed with a friend and did my application at the French embassy.
So everything was more or less sorted. Well, not quite, the plot thickens. My flight to Paris stopped by Melbourne and Dubai. I had a nice sleep outside the Melbourne airport at night. Arriving in Paris I stayed a bit with my grandfather since my room was only available from February. The first two weeks were administrative hell. You may have heard of French bureaucracy, but it’s worse. I applied for a bank account, for a public transport pass, for social security, for financial aid for my rent. Also, a lot happens at the Sorbonne in the two weeks before the start. Everything including enrolments is in person, there are meetings and reunions. You have to sort out all of your subject choices in the week before starting. So you have to be prepared and endure those early hardships. Resilience is key.
Then came the classes, which have a very different teaching style, the French method. For one, everything was in French (obviously). Then there is also a lot of emphasis on written tests and oral presentations. Teachers can be quite, how shall I put it, ‘honest’ when they are marking. But they are also usually quite helpful and sympathetic to exchange students (just say you are Erasmus and you will be the favourite student in the class). It can be a bit intimidating entering the Sorbonne learning environment at first, but if you are flexible and put in a bit of work it should be fine. And if you do stage 3 courses, you will be in the Sorbonne campus of the Quartier Latin, which is a truly magnificent place to be a student, right next to the Panthéon and the Jardin du Luxembourg.
It’s definitely important to focus on studies, but even more important is to make the most of one’s time in Paris. I wish I had more time. There is so much to do in that city that spending a whole lifetime there one still wouldn’t be bored. I loved walking on the banks of the Seine, eating baguettes, visiting parks, trying to see every museum (an impossible quest). And if you’ve run out of things to do in Paris, you can go to the outer suburbs and cities of Ile de France. And most things are free for those under 26. Paris is an amazing city for those who have the good fortune to study there.
Most of all, I am so glad to have met a brilliant bunch of friends. I honestly expected to be alone during my 5 months there. Some of the exchange reunions and activities at the Sorbonne were helpful to meet other students from around the world. It’s generally easier to make friends with international students rather than locals, they are usually also open and looking for connections. In the end, the people I spent most of my time with, our “squad” of 6 (one Brazilian, two Spaniards, one German, one Bangladeshi and one Kiwi), I met through very random circumstances, and I keep thinking how lucky I was it happened. They weren’t even at the Sorbonne but from many different universities. I met them on an organised walk in Belleville, one I was late to and considered not showing up to, but we talked, did things together, watched Dune Part II and the rest is history.
Everyone has a different Paris. They were my Paris. They all brought a special part of themselves to my experience. I am incredibly grateful to have met them and for the good fortune I often had. It pains me a lot to say goodbye to this beautiful city, to the people I met, and to this defining chapter in my life. But I know it is not gone, the memories are there, the people are there. I will see them again, I am sure, such friendships are made to last and don’t just end through geographical separation. I will return to Paris one day and I hope I can bring some of Paris with me back home.
Q&A
What were some of the highlights of the academic experience at your host university?
In terms of academics, it was a really different and unique experience to study in France, one which I think I have learned and benefited from. At first it was a bit of a shock, everything is in person, there are no recordings, its in French. You feel like you are destined to fail. Also, there are written tests and oral presentations also in French and in person. One needs to be flexible, choose courses wisely and be ready to put a bit of work in. But it is rewarding. The quality of the teaching is superb. The teachers are all living encyclopedias, they know their subjects back to front and they are quite articulate. They are also very understanding of the plight of the international student who might not have French as their first language or understand the “French system”. They will help you out, give advice, sometimes group you up with French students, and perhaps go a bit easier on you. Reach out to them if you need, or to the exchange office at the Sorbonne. The tests and oral presentations can be daunting at first but they are in my eyes very useful, good practice to develop a sharp mind and know the subject inside out. Good to prepare you for future presentations too. I often found the teachers were praising my French, and sometimes found my presentations better than that of the French students which made me happy. French students often stick to formulaic ways of doing a particular exercise, and so one needs to learn these, but also if you can add a bit of your own flair and try to push the boundaries slightly, sometimes it can pay off. And try talk to other students.
I loved the subjects I did, learning about history of various time periods. I took a course on Louis XIV and French international relations in the 17th century which was very interesting, I also did a course on Byzantine law, on Ancient Greek society and on the historiography of the barbarians. There are so many subject areas and great teachers, if you enjoy academics you will flourish.
Would you recommend any particular activity/activities unique to your host country or university?
Pétanque is a very relaxing sport. The most stress free form of competition. Like a mix of lawn bowls and darts, I can strongly recommend it. Otherwise, the Sorbonne often offered many free concerts, theatre events, and other cultural activities which one should make the most of. Paris can be expensive but there are always good options for students to experience the city. In terms of food, there is the cheap Crous university food which is very convenient. If you want to try authentic French cuisine but also want to watch your wallet, you can try the Bouillons restaurants which are very traditional and an experience I also recommend. Then there are the boulangeries which one can visit daily and never grow tired of. Otherwise, there are a huge amount of monuments and museums of all sorts, often free or discounted for students. You can go on the Arc de Triomphe, inside the Panthéon, to the Louvre or Musée d’Orsay, to Versailles, there’s so much to do (the real problem is one cannot do them all). And the parks of course are all magnificent, I recommend Luxembourg, Montsouris and Jardin des Plantes. And then there is the banks of the Seine, always a lovely place to go to, just be careful of the sharks and the poop.
I will miss the metro. This may sound strange, but it was a major part of my time and it brings back fond memories. Like the time someone shattered a glass rod, the time I saw a guy on the metro once say to his friend in the thickest accent some words only New Zealanders would use “That’s f***ing chur bro!” That made me miss New Zealand. The metro jingle sometimes randomly pops into my head, and I can hear the announcement “perturbation du trafic jusqu’à gare du nord”. If you know, you know.
What are your top 3 tips for future students attending your host university or going on exchange to your host country?
So if I can offer any advice to a student considering doing an exchange in Paris, or anywhere for that matter, it is the following:
1) Carpe diem. Seize the day. Take risks. Take as many of the possibilities that come up as possible. This is a once in a lifetime experience and you should treat everyday as something special and not be afraid of the unknown. You never know where you might meet your next friend or discover a wonder of the world previously unknown to you. Time is precious, use it well. You will never know if you never try. Be open. Talk to other students. Talk to the professors. Join the exchange student associations and any group activities they might have. This is a very good time to meet people. You won’t stay friends with everyone, but you might meet some keepers and it will make your time there a lot more special.
2) Be on time, deal with the bureaucracy early so that you don’t have to worry about it later. Be a diligent student and try to at least pass. A bit of work goes a long way, and its best to do it earlier than later.
3) Also take time for relaxation. Do not rest until relaxation is accomplished. Its very important to enjoy being there, and sometimes we all need breaks. Paris has some really nice spaces for this, just go on a nice promenade in a park.
How much did you budget for your exchange? Was this enough? Were there any lessons learned that would help future students budget for their own exchange?
I did need to budget a fair amount. Paris is not a cheap city to live in, but there are ways around it. The main costs I had to bear was of course accommodation, my room was about 660 euros per month though I know people who had higher costs. Luckily, if you fill out the right forms, the French government does pay part of these, so it’s important to look into this to make sure you reduce your expenses. Apart from this, transport is also important. A metro ticket costs 2,10 euros, a block of ten tickets costs 17,35 euros. However, what I would recommend for more freedom and peace of mind if you like to travel a lot, there is a student pass which costs 365 euros for a year, and you can use all the public transport across all the Ile de France for free with the navigo card.
Then there are food costs and other amenities. Early on I got myself a pan and a pot cheap from Ikea which served me really well. I lived next to a Lidl which is one of the cheaper supermarkets and so was super convenient for all my grocery needs, I even could buy baguettes there for 40 cents. There are also university restaurants or cantines run by the Crous which are convenient and give full dinners to students for 3,30 euros. I went there a lot. The quality can vary but it was very convenient and a nice place to meet other students. Otherwise, museums are often free, and students and youth often get discounts for things. Need to look out for this, and organise appropriately how you will use your money on a monthly basis. I did have enough money in general, but sometimes it could get scarce.
What are your most significant takeaways from your experience abroad?
Paris has taught me many things. Of course I learned things in my history classes, I learned about medieval hagiographies, byzantine history, french international relations under Louis XIV. I was able to practice my French and improve it, and also refine my skills in writing and oral presentation, and do larger scale research (I was often at the library, I never borrowed so many books in my life). These are all useful, and the exchange at its heart is an academic endeavour. You are there to study and broaden your academic perspectives and horizons. But there is more to it than that.
First, it has taught me a lot patience, not only with the shear bureaucracy, but also on a day to day basis when using the metro. More importantly, it has enabled me to gain a bit of independence, to live my own life. I had my own room, i had to find my own food, do my own studies in a completely new environment. One has to adapt and be flexible, one has to be open to new things. Now I want to make the most of every day and of any opportunity that arises.
I have learned a lot from meeting other students, about different cultures and languages (and the swear words of course, just joking of course), and the way we are fundamentally similar and able to connect. Having such a diverse group of acquaintances gives you a broader outlook on the world. Now I know I want to travel more, to see new places, to experience more things and keep active all that time. I definitely want to rethink a bit how I live my life after this whole odyssey, take back some of Paris with me. This is a great time to learn new things, to gain a better understanding of the world and your place in it. I will always be grateful to have gone, Paris will forever hold a special place in my heart. I will miss it.
In the words of Ernest Hemingway: “If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast”.
Do you want to share anything about travels you did outside your host city/country?
I travelled a bit outside of Paris. France is a big country with a lot of history and beautiful places and cities to visit. Even just outside of Paris the suburbs and cities of Ile de France are beautiful, and easily accessible for a day trip using a transport card. I often went to Versailles and Sceaux, two baroque style chateaux with parks and gardens that were very pleasant to visit and get away from city life. Versailles also has a charming city and lots of history. I also went to Provins during its famous Medieval fair. That was quite an experience, people from across the country came in costumes and it was really vibrant in this charming medieval town. I visited Lille in the north and had the famous frites. My favourite trips however were those I did in Nice, where we saw the Mediterranean sea and visited cities along the riviera like Menton and Eze. An opportunity for lots of walking, even did a cheeky crossing of the border into Italy and back again it was so close. The other place that will mark me was my trip to Lyon, its a beautiful city, smaller than Paris but still big with a lot of character. It has a wonderful park and a free zoo, lots of little streets (and lots of stairs), murals and art, a beautiful basilica on the hill and a tiny Eiffel Tower. And unlike Paris there are two rivers running through it, with a confluence I found really beautiful to see.