Sina is a current student at University of Tampa studying at American University of Paris in Paris during the Fall 2014 term.

I’m so excited to take off for Paris at the end of August and make memories in the following four months that will last a lifetime. I am pleased to have the opportunity to contribute to the SAI blog for my time studying in Paris.

Tell us why you chose to study abroad.

Tell us about your school, major, interests, clubs (you in a nutshell).

I currently am entering my junior year as a Communication Major at the University of Tampa. A lot of people say that where I go to school is where most people vacation. Yes, I have to admit it is nice lounging at the pool in-between classes, however I take my education very seriously and never allow distractions to get in the way of attending class. I love being a Communication Major. I am highly interested in media and the future that comes along with the field. I don’t know exactly what aspect I want to hone in on yet, but I know that this major is a perfect fit for me. Just recently, I was chosen to assist in running the International Indian Film Awards, hosted in Tampa. This was an enlightening experience that has reassured my love for the communication field. I hope to one day obtain a career in a large city, such as New York or Los Angeles. Aside from school, I work off campus part-time at the local smoothie king. When I’m not working, I’m generally doing school work and studying, however in the past two years I have completed community service work for the organization Service for Sight, helping visually impaired individuals.

What are you most excited about re. studying abroad?

Meeting new people from all over the world is the one aspect I am most excited about in studying abroad. I am extremely passionate about fashion, so I cannot wait to see what all of the local Parisians are wearing in the streets, and to catch a glimpse of all of the upcoming trends. I hope that I can make connections with individuals that may help with my future or create friendships that will last a lifetime. I am also extremely excited about traveling to many different countries in such a close vicinity. I hope to make it to at least 4 different countries, besides France, during the duration of the four months I will be there.

What are you most nervous about re. studying abroad?

I’m not really too nervous about any aspects of studying abroad. I suppose the only thing I may be a little nervous about is being pick-pocketed in Paris. I am aware that this commonly happens to foreigners, especially Americans. I am also a little bit nervous about french locals being rude to me because I am American. I have heard that they don’t really like Americans that don’t attempt the speak any french and just speak english. I hope that my french is adequate enough to communicate!

What are three goals that you would like to achieve/accomplish while abroad?

There are so many goals I want to fulfill while abroad. I somewhat touched upon them within my previous responses, but here are my top 3:

1. Travel to at least 4 different countries other than France- I would love to be able to visit Italy, Germany, Spain, and the UK during my stay in Europe.
2. Become fluent in the French language- Throughout high school, I took French classes for four years at an honors level. I took one French course last year at the University of Tampa as well. I hope that during my time in Paris, I will catch onto the gist of the language and be able to converse fluently with other French speakers.
3. To fully take advantage of living in Paris, France- I have four months in the big city, and during that time I intend to cover a lot of ground! During my stay in Paris I intend to live like an actual French native. I want to become a part of the culture by trying all of the foods, learning the best places to shop, and visit all of the local hot spots, aside from all of the tourist attractions.