Bonjour! Living for a month in Paris, France

Published By: Yu jeongmun
Country/City: Europe/France/Montpellier
View Count : 10

During my one-month stay in Paris, the urgent feeling that I must accomplish something gradually disappeared, and I began to find a more relaxed state of mind. Thanks to great relationships and wonderful scenery, this trip will leave me with many good memories, and I will likely miss it a lot in the future.

Bonjour! Living for a month in Paris

Yoo Jeongmoon, Korea GapYear Participant (21 years old, college student) / 4-week gap year

#I decided to go to Paris to think about what I truly wanted.

Hello, I am Yoo Jeongmoon, a 21-year-old student on leave from the Department of Physical Education. I spent three years in high school focused on becoming a physical education teacher, and when I entered university, the reality was so different from what I had imagined that after just one semester, I decided to take a leave of absence and go on a solo trip abroad.

I had never traveled abroad, nor had I ever traveled alone domestically, and I had never eaten at a restaurant alone. I was a rather introverted person. However, I didn’t want to go back to school, nor did I want to transfer; I was feeling powerless as my dreams were slipping away, so I wanted to leave everything behind and spend some time alone. I was afraid of new environments and disliked unexpected events. The idea of traveling alone to Paris at the age of 20 seemed too abstract to me. Still, I decided not to waste my leave of absence and thought that I could go to Paris to reflect on what I truly wanted while spending time alone.

While looking for gap year projects, I came across a variety of projects. There were many meaningful ones, like language learning and overseas volunteer projects, but the "living for a month" project caught my eye. At that time, I wanted more personal time and freedom rather than a structured project like language studies or volunteer work.

The location was Paris, France, a city everyone dreams of visiting, so I was really happy about that. It wasn’t a private room but a six-person shared room, which I ended up enjoying even more. Staying in a six-person room at a Korean guesthouse, I met a lot of different people, built many meaningful relationships, and had a happier experience during my month-long stay.

* For 유정문, who was seeking to find her career path and inner peace, a customized 1:1 personal mission was provided every day, focusing on self-reflection, a relaxed life, and new challenges and thoughts. A Gap Year Notebook was also provided to help her reflect and plan for the future.

>> Korea GapYear Mission

#I realized that everything will work out somehow if you just face it head-on.

Before leaving, I was really worried. Honestly, when I was preparing for my departure, I was so busy with the preparations that I didn’t think much about it. However, on the flight to Paris, I had a lot of thoughts. I was going to live in a foreign city for a whole month with no one I knew, and it felt overwhelming. I was even worried about finding my way to the accommodation after landing at the airport.

But I realized that everything will work out somehow if you just face it head-on. Even though I wasn’t good at English and had trouble starting conversations, once the situation came, I somehow managed to ask around and find my accommodation. When I arrived at the guesthouse, I felt relieved, and my confidence grew. After safely arriving at the accommodation on the first day, I had no more worries or anxieties and really enjoyed my travels.

First of all, the detailed orientation for the gap year was incredibly helpful. I ordered a SIM card in Korea and picked it up at Incheon Airport. For currency exchange, I exchanged 1,000 euros and brought two cards, as I heard some cards might not work. Fortunately, both cards worked well.

I used cards to purchase subway tickets and pay at restaurants, so I didn’t use much cash. While it depends on the individual, I think exchanging 1,000 euros in cash wasn’t necessary in a city like Paris with a high risk of pickpocketing. I packed as many clothes as possible, but having two to three sets of tops and bottoms would have been sufficient. I didn’t purchase things like a museum pass in Korea. For transportation, I used carnet tickets throughout my stay, but for a one-month stay, I highly recommend getting a Navigo pass.

# I decided to take a gap year because I felt like I never had time to think about myself.

Through this gap year, I wanted to change my situation at the time. While others seemed to be finding their paths and moving forward, I felt stuck, unable to adapt to school, and had no choice but to take a leave of absence. It was incredibly frustrating, and this trip might have partially been a way to escape reality.

I wanted to take time to think about myself while living in Paris for a month. Having pushed forward without rest during middle and high school, I produced results but never had time to truly reflect on myself. That’s why I decided to take a gap year.

# A Day in Paris

Most days, I woke up around 8 AM, enjoyed breakfast prepared by my aunt, and spent the day exploring various tourist attractions in Paris. After about 2–3 weeks, I had visited all the main attractions in the city. Towards the end, I also ventured to Belgium, Mont Saint-Michel, Giverny, and Disneyland, exploring many areas nearby.

For lunch and dinner, I often ate out, though there were nights when I returned to the accommodation for dinner. On days when the weather was clear and it didn’t rain, I would go out again after dinner, taking walks along the Seine River or walking for two hours near the Eiffel Tower before heading back.

# The Biggest Lesson: It’s Not Too Late, and There’s No Need to Rush.

Before leaving, I thought that spending a month in Paris would provide me with clear answers—what I truly want, and who I am. But to be honest, that wasn’t the case. It wasn’t, yet I believe I gained something even greater.

When I told people in Korea that I was taking a leave of absence to go to Paris, their reactions were mixed. Some asked, “Is it okay to take a break after just one semester? Isn’t Paris too dangerous for a woman traveling alone?” Others said, “It’s fine. If you’re struggling, you can take an early break.” While I went to Paris with similar thoughts, the stories I heard from people I met at the accommodation were entirely different.

People who heard my story said things like, "How could you have such a cool idea at 20 years old? I wish I had thought like that earlier. Your trip sounds amazing—I'm so jealous." They also reassured me that it's never too late and that having these thoughts now is actually early. Hearing these words gradually eased my sense of urgency, and the mindset of needing to achieve or learn something significant during the trip began to fade away. Once that happened, I truly started to enjoy my journey. The biggest realization I had was that I'm not late, and there's no need to rush.

# Without these people, it wouldn't have been such a memorable experience

While staying at the accommodation, I met so many people. Some of them became particularly special to me, but unlike my month-long stay, most of them left after just a few days, five at most. Initially, this made it hard for me, as I struggled with getting close to people only to see them leave. I even felt homesick at times.

However, I also met many wonderful people. There was a time when four friends my age were staying at the accommodation simultaneously, and we had such a great connection that we still keep in touch. Besides them, I met many adults, older siblings, and even a senior from my school. I encountered so many people who were too precious to just meet once and part ways.

The trip to Paris itself was beautiful and enjoyable, but without these people, it wouldn’t have been as meaningful or memorable. Thanks to these amazing connections, I find myself longing for this journey even more.

It didn’t smell bad or feel dirty as I had thought, and as long as I stayed alert, pickpocketing wasn’t much of a concern. I absolutely do not regret participating in the gap year project. I think it was the best decision I made in 2018. If you’re hesitating right now, I want to tell you not to worry and just go for it.

#My Gap Year Tips!

- Language

I didn’t study French in advance. I only knew phrases like “hello,” “thank you,” and “excuse me,” and I used English when talking to people. Contrary to the rumors that French people are unfriendly and refuse to speak English, they were extremely kind and tried their best to explain things in English. Since it wasn’t an English-speaking country, we communicated in simple English, which made it easy for me to hold conversations without feeling pressure despite my limited English skills.

- Accommodation

Since I stayed at a Korean guesthouse, I was able to gather plenty of information about Paris from other guests, staff, and the owner. Although it was slightly far from the city center, the guesthouse was conveniently located right in front of a subway station, making it easy to get around. I didn’t find anything particularly inconvenient about the accommodation. Not having a personal locker was a bit inconvenient, but it didn’t interfere with my stay. Even in winter, the room was warm enough that I slept in short sleeves. Also, the guesthouse provided indoor slippers, so I didn’t really need to bring my own. A supermarket was only three minutes away, so I bought items like shampoo and conditioner after arriving and even had lunch at the guesthouse on days I didn’t go out.

- Meals

The aunt prepares breakfast and dinner every day, and they are really delicious. Breakfast is from 8 AM to 9 AM, and dinner is from 7 PM to 8 PM. The kitchen is not available for use, and only the microwave and kettle are available. You can buy cup noodles at the Korean mart, but they are expensive, so it might be a good idea to bring some with you. There are also grocery stores and bakeries nearby, so on days when you don't go out, you can buy lunch and eat it at the accommodation. There’s also a McDonald's just a 5-minute walk away.

- Packing Essentials

It’s convenient to buy a SIM card in Korea, but I’ve heard it works better if you buy one locally. I used an ee SIM card that I brought from Korea, and it worked well overall. I wish I hadn’t packed so many clothes. Each bed has two outlets, so a power strip wasn’t really necessary, and there were plenty of hangers. Since there are a lot of pickpockets, it’s safer to carry just a little cash. My card worked well, so I didn’t need to use cash much.

# My Unique Paris Travel Spots

It takes about two hours to walk from the accommodation to the Eiffel Tower, and it seems like a walk worth taking slowly. The evening Seine River walk was really enjoyable. I highly recommend Mont Saint-Michel. I think the night view of Mont Saint-Michel was the most beautiful during my Paris trip. The Mont Saint-Michel tour takes up the entire day from early morning to night, so it’s hard to decide unless you’re a long-term traveler, but since you’ll be there for a month, I hope you’ll definitely go at least once!

The jazz bar from La La Land was also a new experience. The regular guests danced together without worrying about what others thought, and the atmosphere was really great. The village of Auberge sur Oise, where Van Gogh lived before his death, was also wonderful. It was nice because not many tourists go there. That day, I think I saw only one other group of tourists besides myself.

The Van Gogh grave was great, the wheat fields were beautiful, and the church and inn were all nice, but what really stood out was when I walked through the quiet village without thinking and came across a vast green field. There were locals walking around and dogs running freely. That’s what I remember the most. I highly recommend visiting!

My Gap Year

Experience ★★★★★

Spending a month traveling alone in Paris might be something I would never have experienced in my life, but it turned out to be a really great experience. Most of the guests I met at the accommodation were staying for about five days before heading to another city. They were busy every day, exploring tourist sites.

Since I was living in Paris for a month, on cloudy days, I would just rest at the accommodation, wander through alleys that weren’t tourist attractions, and when I had seen all the major sights, I would leisurely walk from my accommodation to the Eiffel Tower in the evening, and I could often take walks along the Seine River.

Learning ★★★★★

Living alone in a foreign country for a month was a bit overwhelming and scary. My personality isn’t one to quickly adapt to new environments, so I usually prefer familiar tasks, but through my month in Paris, I learned that everything is far less difficult than worrying about it without experiencing it first-hand.

And my difficulty in talking to strangers changed completely after just three days in Paris. I didn’t realize I was someone who could talk to people I didn’t know so easily. I think it’s the power of the travel environment.

Environment ★★★★★

Among the many countries in Europe, Paris. The city of romance, as they say. There wasn’t a street that wasn’t beautiful. From what I hear from people around me, Paris seems to be a place where opinions are divided, but I was definitely in the "love it" camp. The reasons some people dislike Paris might be its somewhat dirty subway and the fact that most streets are designated smoking areas.

However, the subway was cleaner than I expected, the smell wasn’t too bad, and I thought the subway system was much better than in our country. Smoking, however, seems to be a painful environment for non-smokers. There seems to be very little awareness about the harm of smoking. I even saw a father pulling a stroller with one hand and smoking a cigarette with the other.

Safety ★★★★☆

Even though I went during a period with short days, it wasn’t very dangerous. It’s true that there are many pickpockets. If you are careful on the subway, there are no thieves, but there are many sign-holders at tourist spots.

If you are surrounded by a sign-holder asking for a signature, never respond and just walk past. If you sign, you’ll have to give them money, and if you engage with their words, they will use the sign to block your view and steal your wallet from your bag. As long as you are careful of pickpockets, it wasn’t too dangerous.

Leisure ★★★★★

It was either a long or short period, but in the month I had, I was able to leisurely try everything I wanted to do. Of course, I visited the iconic places like the Eiffel Tower, Montmartre, Pont Neuf, Notre-Dame Cathedral, but I also went to many nearby areas that I wouldn’t have visited if I had stayed for a shorter time. I signed up for a Mont Saint-Michel tour, went on a day trip to Belgium, visited the town of Aubers-sur-Oise where Van Gogh lived, and even went to Disneyland.

As the month came to an end, I even went to a local movie theater and did everything I wanted to try.