On the plane ride to Amsterdam, I was so excited for the next four weeks I was about to spend in Europe, learning new things but also getting to know two iconic cities. Think about it, a 19-year-old who very recently gained independence from his parents and became a real adult who can freely make choices. Now I have to be honest. I was also very scared. I didn’t know anyone, which means not one person, who I really knew before arriving to Amsterdam. I prayed that this experience, that I was about to have with a completely new group of students, be meaningful and fun. Man did that prayer come true. I can honestly say that I made life-lasting memories and friends that I can treasure for a very long time.
Its very difficult to choose one lasting memory from this trip because there are so many, but because nearly everyone already wrote about the time we were waiting for our boat tour in the pouring rain, I decided to talk about something that I have to tell the story of: the visit to the Palace of Fontainebleau. This narrative starts on the very first Monday that we spent in Paris. While everyone was busy buying their week-long metro passes for 40 euros, I had a different thought process—something like this: it’s 2.5 euros per metro ride, so 40 divided by 2.5 gives me about 16 rides. And honestly, I didn’t see myself taking the metro that many times in a week. I already knew how to use the bikes (which are way less stressful, actually pleasant, and often cheaper), and Paris is such a walkable city anyway (walking is free!). So I figured, no need for the weekly pass. I’ll just get a day pass for the scavenger hunt on Tuesday and then buy individual tickets as needed. Definitely under 40 euros… right? Nah, said Daniel. Yeah, said I, confidently. But, Daniel was right. Turns out: worst mistake of the trip. I quickly realized this after that very day where we entered the metro four or five times and I admitted I was wrong. On the morning of the scavenger hunt, I decided I’d go ahead and get the weekly metro pass after all—but then I found out I needed a photo for it. A physical, passport-style photo. Which would cost 8 euros. For seven pictures. And I’d only need one. So naturally, like any college kid would do, I asked Adil if I could borrow one of his spares to avoid spending the 8 euros. He was so chill with it. Now recall that whole “since I’m an adult, I’m free to make my own choices” mindset. Yeah this is one of those moments where I, as a fully independent adult human, made a very questionable (stupid) choice. On the day we went to the Palace of Fontainebleau, which was the following Sunday, by some divine stroke of luck, we actually caught the train, despite it being a six-minute walk away and us having less than two minutes to board. We made it, but let’s just say it was a very sweaty miracle. After Adil got fined 70 euros for having his leg up on another seat (you should ask him about it) we wandered the palace quite literally as they were locking the doors behind us, and then the four of us took a leisurely, somewhat sophisticated stroll outside of the palace, talking about cultured things as men do (if you know you know). On the way back, we saw the train to Paris was delayed by almost an hour, so we figured, why not grab some pizza in the meantime? Enter: the slowest Italian pizza chef of all time. Unsurprisingly, we missed the train. After hours of waiting (yes, we spent more time at the station than at the actual palace), we finally got on one. And so then when we transferred into the metro back in Paris, there were guards checking passes. And yep, I got caught. Turns out, not having my own photo as ID is a 60 euro fine. That’s a lot more than 8 euros which was the cost to just take my own photo. This was a long story and an even longer day but I had to record it somewhere for my children to read whenever they visit Paris for their first times: don’t be like Dad when he was 19, kids!
I can’t name one person that left a mark for me: I’ll talk about all nine of them. Anika was very skillful in CAD designs and, I mean what a leader she was for the whole group anywhere we went (by the way I appreciate your shoutout, my goat). Sasha’s adaptiveness as the only person who didn’t take ENGI 120 to fit in the group was inspiring. Did you know Karli was one of the top 5 smartest students in her country—she probably was #1 but is too humble to tell us that. Ana’s determination to finish another online course on top of this one was actually mind blowing and real motivational. Talk about dedication and Alexis’s to take 0.5 pictures everywhere we went. But the pinnacle of dedication was Daniel and his commitment to talk to his girl every night: I mean what a boyfriend. Lastly, Adil and Sebastian—two best friends whose energy not only kept things light and fun many times, but genuinely helped bring the whole group (and especially the boys) closer together.
Favorite eating experience: my Grandmother’s childhood best friend’s Korean food place that me and the boys went to (sorry girls!). It wasn’t just about how much we could eat—it was the feeling of being treated like someone special. My grandmother’s friend welcomed us with the warmth and care she would show her own grandchildren, constantly asking, “Do you need anything else?” “Please, order more food,” “Would you like more beer?” Her generosity and genuine concern made me feel not just well-fed, but deeply cared for. And for some of my friends, it was their very first time trying Korean food—an incredible introduction to my amazing cuisine, made all the more memorable by the hospitality that came with it.
To anyone thinking about doing iSEED, I don’t want to be like my overly simple friends (no offense) in their blogs who just say, “do it.” Instead, I want to share a few things I actually experienced—things that, hopefully, will speak for themselves. You might be wondering, why not just stay at Rice, do the Engineering Design minor, and call it a day? What’s the real value of this experience abroad, especially when it comes with a price tag and leaving your comfort zone?
Yes, you’ll learn the engineering design process either way, but you won’t know what it’s like to “speedrun” that process, building a functioning prototype in just two weeks. Yes, you’ll order materials either way, but you won’t experience that awkward moment of trying to explain what you’re looking for to a French employee while on a tight budget. Yes, you’ll shape materials for your prototype, but you won’t be forced to get scrappy when you realize there’s no waterjet cutter in the basement of RGP for that perfect cut, and you have to use a hacksaw and sandpaper to get the job done. Yes, you’ll go through iterations, but you won’t be surrounded by three different projects at once, giving feedback, sharing one 3D printer, and being part of every team’s process. Yes, you’ll make design decisions, but you won’t know what it’s like to make those decisions, not in a meeting room in Fondy, but in real time, over the phone, while adjusting your plan because the local hardware store doesn’t have the right bearing size your team needs. And yes, you’ll get to know your teammates, but you won’t know what it’s like to really get to know them outside of class not just as classmates, but them as individuals.
I took away more than I could ever write down on a page of blog from this trip: lessons, moments, and perspectives that will stick with me far beyond the classroom or the project. And for that, Mercy Paris.
And don’t ask about the eggs, please. It’s mostly Sebastian’s fault.
