On est arrivé : Paris!

Before starting this program, Paris Program Leaders wanted a simple word that could be used to reference the CIEE participants who were spending Session 1 in Paris. What did their 5 beautiful minds come up with? Les flâneurs (feminine form- les flâneuses!). According to a simple Google search, a flâneur is a person who "saunters around observing society." This idea was especially popular in the 19th century and definitely still pertains to today's every-day-2018-American-high-schooler-studying-abroad-in-Paris! Check out more about the history of the word on Wikipedia (the French version of this page has some super beautiful quotes!). 

What struck the Program Leaders as fitting? Charles Baudelaire in his 1863 collection of essays entitled "Le Peintre de la vie moderne" wrote that to be a flâneur is to be "hors de chez soi, et pourtant se sentir partout chez soi; voir le monde, être au centre du monde et rester caché au monde." In other words, to be away from home, but also feeling at home everywhere; being at the "center of the world" while also remaining hidden. This act of flân-ing is by no means passive, though. It is on purpose; trying to blend through observation, trying to understand human beings (in our case, in a different cultural context), and (this part is all PL Becca!) then debriefing after a day of observation and interaction with local Frenchmen and women!

After some long flights, some missing suitcases (where Paris flâneurs all offered to help out their friends with toiletries and fresh clothing!), and the delicious airline food, Session 1 flâneurs went through CIEE orientation and signed their language pledge. From here on out, it was to be French, and only French! 

The students had their first day of language class today with their amazing and energetic teachers Marie-Christine, Delia, and Florent. Student worked especially on getting acclimated to the culture and were asked later that day to show off their schools at various places in the Sentier neighborhood around the CIEE study center. 

Following their morning of class and community activities, les flâneurs meandered down to a riverboat cruise on one of the Bateaux Mouches to see the sights lining the river in Paris and snap some great photos with their new classmates and friends.