Finding Independence in Paris
by Nell Sparks ’25
Through the Our Winsor Voice series, we asked Winsor students to share an experience that brought them joy, shaped their worldview, developed a new passion, or created a new learning environment.
Nell Sparks ’25 shared her experience in a summer program in Paris provided by the Nora Saltonstall Scholarship. The July program includes a homestay, French language study, cultural excursions, and college credit. The API Abroad program provides and arranges the academic program, homestay, cultural events, logistical support, and on-the-ground TLC. The Nora Saltonstall Scholarship covers the API program cost and provides a partial subsidy for other expenses such as passport, airfare, some meals, and incidentals. Class VII students apply for the Nora Saltonstall Scholarship for travel the summer before senior year.
To begin to describe my experience this summer, I think it would be helpful to share a mock day-in-my-life during my stay in Paris. I’ll begin in the morning, when I said goodbye to my host mother, Bridgette, and took the metro to class. Class was about three hours along with a break in the middle. Then, after class and lunch, I went on one of my program-sponsored cultural trips—a hot air balloon ride with a direct view to the Eiffel Tower! After that, I quickly made my way to the Catacombs for a guided tour. I brought my digital camera with me, so I took lots of pictures while I was down there. Next, I raced over to the Louvre for my second time. My favorite art piece was the Winged Victory of Samothrace statue at the top of Deru staircase. Because I was under eighteen years old, both the Catacombs and the Louvre were free of charge for me. Lastly, I would have dinner with my host mom usually two to three times a week, but today I ended the day with dinner at a traditional French restaurant. It was one of my friends’ birthdays, so the whole restaurant sang to her (in French of course)!
I learned how to be independent in all aspects of my life; from meal planning to navigation to time management, even to scheduling time to call my family back home because of the time difference. Of course I had my program director and host mother as a support system, but the vast majority of planning and thinking fell on me—what I wanted to do, what I was interested in. I was given the freedom to explore the city on my own time, to plan my excursions all while balancing meals, budget, and schoolwork. I truly have more independence, better planning skills, and better time-management skills because of my experience on this trip.
Recognizing the importance of being engaged was the second, and most important, take-away from my experience through the Saltonstall Scholarship. It would have been easy to frequent the same neighborhoods or even to stay in my room the entire trip, but instead I chose to explore something new every day. I managed to become a local at a bakery near the college I was taking classes at by simply greeting the employees every morning. I made friends with people from all over the world—India, Germany, Mexico, China, Australia, etc.—and with people close by—Connecticut, New Jersey, South Dakota, Texas, Ohio, and California. I saw every major tourist attraction, like the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Palace of Versailles, but especially made time to walk the Latin Quarter in the 5th arrondissement and the beautifully ancient cemetery, Cimetière du Père-Lachaise, in the 20th arrondissement. I enjoyed each and every day, knowing that I only had 30 (give or take) of them to make the most out of.
Ultimately, when I boarded the plane back to the US, I was sad to say goodbye and excited to see my family again, but I was mostly grateful for the experience. I’m grateful for the people who made saying goodbye so difficult—the many wonderful new friends, most of whom I’m still in touch with, my host mother who welcomed me with open arms (literally and figuratively), and the servers, workers, and other Parisiennes who were kind enough to let me practice my French on them. I’m grateful for the memories I made of sunset picnics at the Eiffel tower, of visiting the Palace of Versailles on Bastille Day, and of the walks along the Seine. Most importantly, I’m grateful for the lessons I’ve learned—time management, independence, engagement, and so much more—that will stay with me for the rest of my life.
