Paris A Philosophy For Travelers

Teach French inmates how to dance, act, and paint .
Study in the historic halls of the Sorbonne, France’s oldest university .
Flambé like the French and take cooking classes with a master chef .
Help needy families in Paris and beyond with the Action Contre la Faim .

As a tourist, you are always a foreigner. Sure, hostel-hopping and sightseeing can be great fun, but connecting with a foreign country through studying, volunteering, or working can extend your travels beyond tourist traps. This is what’s different about a Let’s Go traveler—instead of feeling like a stranger in a strange land, you can understand Paris like a local. Instead of being that tourist asking for directions, you can be the one who gives them (and correctly!). All the while, you get the satisfaction of leaving Paris in better shape than you found it. It’s not wishful thinking—it’s Beyond Tourism.

As a volunteer in Paris, you can unleash your inner superhero, with projects that range from tutoring inmates to combating AIDS. This chapter is chock-full of ideas to get involved, whether you’re looking to pitch in for a day or run away from home for a whole new life in French activism.

Whether through direct enrollment in a local university or an independent research project, studying abroad can be very fulfilling: it actually makes you feel sorry for those poor tourists who don’t get to do any homework while they’re here. Paris is home to some of the world’s oldest universities—including la Sorbonne , founded in AD 1257—that are renowned for their programs in philosophy, literature, political science, and art history. If existentialism isn’t your tasse de thé, France’s distinguished array of culinary schools—including the world-famous Cordon Bleu in Paris—will refine your broiling abilities, and your palate. The study abroad opportunities in Paris are limitless, and the perfect way to indulge in French life.

Working abroad immerses you in a new culture and can bring some of the most meaningful relationships and experiences of your life. Yes, we know you’re on vacation, but these aren’t your normal desk jobs. (Plus, it doesn’t hurt that it helps pay for more globetrotting.) Many travelers structure their trips around the work available to them along the way, and employment opportunities range from odd jobs on-the-go to full-time, long-term work. While such long-term work is tough to find for non-EU citizens without professional expertise, English and especially English-French bilingual skills are desirable and can facilitate the job search. Short-term work is more readily available and can range from working with children to busing tables at a street-side cafe. Both long-term and short-term jobs require a work permit, which is discussed in detail in the upcoming sections.

Share Your Experience. Have you had a particularly enjoyable volunteer, study, or work experience that you’d like to share with other travelers? Post it to our website, www.letsgo.com!