Orientation Week

We all had the pleasure of being greeted at the Airport by the five Sciences Po students, Celine (a past GW Exchange Student), and Florence (our Parisian Mother). We were picked up by a shuttle bus and taken to our new homes in the beautiful Latin Quarter! Our surroundings include the Luxembourg Gardens, the Pantheon, and St. Michel (the best area for night life, cafes, shopping, etc.).  After settling down we had a welcome dinner at ‘Le Vin Sobre.’ Here we enjoyed our first tastes of authentic French cuisine with everyone from the GWSB Paris Program.

The next morning we had a walking tour of the neighborhood by our apartments to check out the Laundromat, grocery store, bus and RER station.

After the tour we took the bus to Sciences Po for a guided tour of the University. We then had lunch at a near by café, called Basile Café (a popular café among Sciences Po students).  After lunch we attended a brief presentation about Security and Life in Paris and preceded to go shopping for cell phones, bedding, and other necessities at local department stores.


On Wednesday morning, Sciences Po faculty welcomed us with breakfast at the University.

Following this, we were taken to our first French class were we were all separated into two groups by our level of proficiency. To truly familiarize ourselves with Sciences Po and its students, our French friends took us to lunch at the Gymnasium (cafeteria). In the afternoon, we had a presentation regarding all Sciences Po facilities and culture followed by a group departure to Musée d'Orsay for a guided tour.

On our fourth day, we began by having our second French class and a presentation by Elodie Nowinski, a Sciences Po Professor, who discussed the cultural differences between France and America.  Later in the afternoon, we attended a French Wine and Cheese tasting by Peter Carman, Director of the Paris American Academy (PAA).

On Friday we continued with French class and were given our Sciences Po Ids, Program Calendar, and other important information.  In the afternoon we had the pleasure to explore Paris with a Scavenger Hunt, which finished at Crêperie Saint Germain and were awarded a miniature Eiffel Tower!

Saturday, we were all able to take the day off to explore Paris and finish getting settled.

Sunday, we were given a guided bus tour of Paris to learn more about the history of the city and explore new areas and neighborhoods. The tour concluded with ice cream in a local shop, at Isle Saint Louis.

Our first Marketing Class by Professor Lynda Maddox began on Monday morning followed by French class in the afternoon. Last day of orientation concluded with an early dinner at Saint Germain followed by a cruise along the Seine!