Blog Update – Fall 2021
After a long and eventful Summer, I’ve finally settled back in Paris for the Fall semester. This means, of course, a return to regular posting on my website for everyone who reads it. Clearly there are a couple of changes,…
Paris in the Spring – Photos
This is a collection of photos I’ve taken over the past couple of months. Some of them have small stories or descriptions attached, others are more self explanatory. Most of them come from essentially “normal” days here in Paris, meaning…
5 Things French People Take Very Seriously
One of the cornerstone experiences of anyone who finds themselves abroad is the experience of offending someone over something you thought nothing of at all. The vast majority of the time, people understand cultural differences are to blame, and everyone…
5 Cathedrals You Need to See in Paris
Though a picture of the Eiffel tower might be the first to pop into your head when you hear the word “France,” that idea is relatively new. Before the tower’s construction in 1887, people from around the world thought not…
6 French Grocery Store Items You Can’t Get in the US
The image of a French person walking through the sunny rows of open-air farmers’ market stands to pick out their fresh groceries for the day is often conjured when we idealize a daily grocery run in Paris. But, much like…
The Representation Problem Facing America
Why Our Representatives Don’t Represent the American Population, and What We Can Do to Change That. The US government is facing a representation problem, or more accurately, is still facing a representation problem. By this I mean that the issues…
The Complete Guide to Baguettes for Americans
France has all the nice cheeses and wines you could ever want, it has bourguignon and plenty of omelettes to go around, and it overflows from the borders with its culinary excellence in plenty of ways. But none of that…
Six Normal Things You Have to Eat in Paris
France is well known as the culinary capital of the world, and with good reason. But too often the discussion of French food gets wrapped up in expensive caviar and pompous fois gras, and absolutely loses touch with the every…
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: A Life in Black and White, and a Life in Color
I, as many probably did as well this year, spent my Martin Luther King day listening to and reading works of his (namely his “Drum Major Instinct” sermon, and his “Letter from Birmingham Jail”). In this, something that caught my…
Remembering 2020
In talking with those that recount 9/11, my generation will often find a similar thread of memories throughout everyone. The story involves the moment an individual saw the news feed, heard the reports of the buildings being hit, and that…
Shakespeare and Company: The American Bookstore of Paris
If one were to take a stroll south from the Notre Dame de Paris, leaving the Île de la Cité via the aptly named Rue de la Cité, they would be greeted on the southern bank by the green faced…
Montmartre – The Sacré Coeur and Place du Tertre
Within the regular bounds of Paris, there are few places from which a high-rise look is available. The Eiffel Tower is a classic high rise spot to view the city, as is the Montparnasse Tower, but there is one spot…
Life Update: I Moved to Paris!
As you might or might not know, I have been working on moving to Paris, in order to attend my university, the American University of Paris. What you might not know is what this process has looked like, especially given…
The Best Show of Nature in Oklahoma – The Wichita Mountains
Of the vast landscapes of Oklahoma, the place that is undoubtedly the most fascinating and beautiful work of nature is the Wichita Mountains. The mountains are in the Wichita Wildlife Refuge, a 59,000 acre refuge of protected land positioned in…
How Not to Look Like a Tourist in Paris
Most of us want to experience what it means to experience the local culture authentically, rather than to fall into the abundant tourist traps that are so common in places like Paris. Additionally, Paris is known for things like pickpockets…
5 Reasons Why Americans Need to Travel Abroad In Their Life
The US is a massive and wonderful country full of vastly different landscapes and cultures. With this, it’s easy to travel a few states away and feel like you’ve immersed yourself in something completely different, an entirely separate culture from…
8 Things You Should Know Before Going On An International Exchange
Taking an international exchange trip is by far one of the most rewarding things you can ever do. The cultural immersion, the great food, and the people you meet, are memories that will last a lifetime and change you forever.…
How Social Media Impacts International Communication Among Teenagers
In 2019 I had the opportunity to spend two weeks attending a French high school in Amiens, France. While there, I was able to study how students use social media, and more importantly, how social media plays a role in…
Beginner’s Guide to Choosing the Right Laptop
(Photo: Les Finances) Computers to many people are this confusing nebulous idea; people know how to work them, but they don’t necessarily know how they work. This can make it difficult to figure out exactly what you need when it…
Why I, An American, Am Choosing To Attend University Abroad
For many people, attending university abroad is a daunting task to say the least. To bury yourself in a whole different culture for a massive span of time, well it’s just not something people consider. I happen to be the…
7 Phrases You Need to Learn In the Local Language When Traveling
We’ve all heard the saying, “Better to have something and not need it, than need it and not have it.” This couldn’t be more applicable to language learning, especially when you plan on venturing into non-English speaking countries. You won’t…
A Men’s Capsule Wardrobe: The Solution to Limited Suitcase Space
During quarantine, we’ve all learned new skills. Some people got good at baking bread (I tried so hard, and failed even harder), others got good at cutting their own hair, but I ended up coming out of quarantine with a…
The Road and the Tree: Introduction
We live in the age of information, a time in humanity where we have the most communication of any generation of humans in the history of the world. In each of our pockets there lies a device with the computing…
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