Our SAI group in front of the Palace of Versailles

1. A cheese plate is a customary part of a meal at a restaurant in Paris, in between the main course and dessert.
2. The main course isn’t referred to as the entrée; instead, the word entrée actually refers to the appetizer eaten beforehand.
3. The waiter/waitress doesn’t come by with the check unless you request it. In fact, it is considered rude to bring the check to your table before you are ready to leave.
   

   The inside of the Saint Chapelle cathedral, where I saw a classical music concert

4. Also, the waiter/waitress doesn’t come by to refill your water glass either; instead, they leave a bottle of water at the table for you to refill your self.
5. Escargot (snails) are not the only exotic food you can try in Paris. Frog legs, beef tongue, and sheep testicles are found on many restaurant menus.
6. When it comes to the water closet (which is how Parisians almost exclusively refer to the bathroom), the toilet is often in a separate room from the sink.
7. Some of the water fountains around the city flow with sparkling water.
   

   Sunset along the Canal Saint-Martin

8. It is rare for a building to be equipped with central air conditioning. Even though the summers can get really hot!
9. It is illegal to not recycle your garbage (although, no word on how much this law is really enforced).
10. The number of feral cats on the streets. If any American city had this amount of homeless pets, every animal shelter would be in great business!

Me in front of Monet’s famous water lilies, at Giverny

Matthew is a Fall 2021 Paris student from The New School.