I just completed a First-Year Seminar Abroad in Paris, France. Although I have traveled to Paris before this program changed the way I see Paris. During my program I got experience many new adventures that I never thought was possible.

One experience that I never thought I would do and enjoyed was exploring Monet's studio. Monet was a famous painter that is called the Father of Impressionism and known for many of his paintings. Before this program I was excited to experience something that I would never normally explore. During the trip we first got to see the gardens of Monet. Inside Monet's gardens there were beautiful ponds with vegetation all over. While in these gardens I got to fully understand the hard work and dedication that went into these paintings. Also, while at the gardens I felt a sense of peace being an area of quiet observation compared to the noisy city of Paris.

While being in Paris I noticed one thing that I never thought about before coming here. And that is that the people of this city are hardworking people. I saw this when riding on the metro in the early mornings seeing thousands of people heading to their jobs every day.

Overall, I had a great time in France, and I meet some great people. Looking to the future, I am excited to see how the connections I made on the program progress over my time at Michigan State.

Name: Brayden Eddy
Status: Freshman
Major: Engineering
Hometown: Allendale, Michigan
Program: First-Year Seminar Abroad in France – Place and Space in Paris