Review of "Paris Diaries"

The Paris Diaries: The Study Abroad Experience Uncensored

by Andrea Bouchaud

This was a very interesting way to learn about the study abroad experience for the author! This is her word-for-word journal during her year abroad in Paris, all mistakes and honesty kept, and so it's a refreshingly honest account in a field where there hasn't yet been many publications like this. The "study abroad" concept is becoming more and more popular, and Ms. Bouchaud's work is an important piece of the puzzle.

There are understandable moments of boredom as events and emotions are rehashed over and over, but that's entirely expected in an actual diary. Its realness is also what makes it great- the honesty! There is truly no better way to see what the study abroad experience is like than to read the unfiltered thoughts of someone going through it, no matter where they are located. Even if you're not going to Paris or even France, people are the same everywhere, and this journal has a main thread being the relationship between her and her aunt, and another with her and her boyfriend. I kept thinking as I was reading that I wished this had been published before I came abroad, because then I would have been much more mentally prepared for what was to come.

I found Ms. Bouchaud's previous book, Twenty in Paris, to be directed to a very specific audience with all the explanation of rules for studying in France, but this book can be applied to many more people as its specificities with France aren't very important. It can even apply to any single person abroad, whether they're studying or working. And of course, this would be a great read for the parents of students going abroad, so they can understand what their child will go through and how to encourage them.

It was a witty and informative read!