I can’t believe how quickly my four weeks with the iSEED program flew by. It feels like just yesterday I was driving to the airport, and now, four weeks and two countries later, I’ve made countless memories that I will cherish for the rest of my life.
For me, the most memorable parts of this experience were the moments spent exploring the city with my friends outside of class. As I mentioned in an earlier blog, I didn’t know anyone in the iSEED program before it began, so I was a bit nervous about how the group dynamics would turn out. But over the past four weeks, I grew incredibly close to everyone. We had so much fun together, whether we were screaming on the Seine River cruise or simply going out to dinner. Wandering the city aimlessly is always more fun with friends, and that’s what made this truly the trip of a lifetime.
Honestly, I feel like the boys taught me a lot on this trip. I’ve always been a planner, someone who wakes up knowing exactly what the day will look like. The boys, on the other hand, had a very go-with-the-flow attitude, which made it tough to plan things with the group in advance. I won’t lie; it definitely stressed me out at times and took some getting used to. But in the end, I think it was actually good for me not to have the experience of a ‘perfectly’ planned trip. Some of my favorite memories from this program came from spontaneous decisions, and through that, I learned to loosen up and let go of my need for a strict itinerary.
Speaking of the boys bringing a little chaos, one day after class someone texted asking if we wanted to do a Seine River cruise. We all said yes, without bothering to check the weather. We grabbed sandwiches from a local deli and hopped on the metro to the port. As we walked over, we noticed a few clouds but figured it would be fine if it just drizzled. Well, about five minutes after we got in line, it started pouring, like worse than Houston rain. Trash cans and traffic cones were flying down the street. We were completely soaked, still standing in line for the river cruise. Out of nowhere, we started singing songs like “Umbrella” by Rihanna, and to our surprise, some other people in line joined in. It ended up being a lot of fun, and I think it lifted the spirits of everyone around us who were just as stressed out by the storm. Then, since the sky was dark from the storm clouds the Eiffel Tower started sparkling. The combination of the lights and the rain made for a surreal moment. After about 15 minutes of standing in the downpour, we finally boarded the boat. It started drizzling again, but we were already soaked, so we went up to the top deck and stood right in front. The boat itself was amazing; I’d definitely recommend it. We got to see so many sights like the Musée d’Orsay and Hôtel de Ville. At one point, someone mentioned that yelling under bridges created a huge echo, so we tried it. Somehow, the rest of the boat joined in. Every time we passed under a bridge, around 500 people screamed at the top of their lungs. It was chaotic in the best way. As we pulled back into the port, we started doing Rice chants, and while yelling “Toaster,” a group of random guys came up to us. They turned out to be recent Rice grads who had recognized the chant. We ended up taking a photo with them in front of the Eiffel Tower. We then stopped on a random street corner to watch the tower sparkle. By that time, it was after 11 pm, and we were ready to head back, but the metro line we took there was closed. The nearest running line was a 30-minute walk away. The streets were flooded, so we ended up doing Mission Impossible style moves, climbing fences to get there. Eventually, we made it back safely. It was definitely a night to remember, all because we didn’t check the weather.
Eiffel Tower Sparkling!
Us and other random Rice students on the boat
One night at dinner, the other members of my program and I decided to try escargot. To my surprise, it was actually so much better than I expected, I’d definitely have it again! The edible part was covered in pesto, which gave it a rich, savory flavor. The texture was kind of like an oyster: slimy on the outside and super chewy, but honestly, it tasted amazing. I know the idea of eating snails sounds a little gross, but seriously, don’t knock it until you try it!
Escargot
To anyone debating whether they should do the iSEED experience: DO IT. Not only do you earn six credits that count toward the engineering design minor, but you also get to explore Europe with your friends. Classes typically run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., with minimal work to be done outside of class, so your afternoons are mostly open to explore and create whatever chaos you’d like. You’ll also grow incredibly close with the other Rice students in the program, which makes every adventure even more fun. Overall, this was an experience I’ll never forget, and if I had the chance to do it all over again, I absolutely would.
In the end, my favorite part of Paris was exploring its museums and monuments. Surprisingly, my two favorites were the Catacombs and the Panthéon, both of which are less visited and, thankfully, less crowded than some of the more popular attractions. I felt like they offered such rich insight into French history, without the overwhelming crowds that can make it hard to fully enjoy the experience. If you get the chance to visit, I’d definitely recommend checking them out.