It was almost too much to believe. They were going to send us to Paris, introduce us to the city, show us the sights (but not just the sights), and also let us go about as we pleased? For two weeks, we were going to reallylive there?
We didn't really feel like "scholars" -- yes, we learned a tremendous amount by listening to guides and professors, by reading descriptions on brochures and signposts, but we were encouraged to explore through less scholarly means. We sat quietly in cafés and watched the people passing and the light changing. We tried to find places that embodied the spirit of this city, out of the way and out of the ordinary. We came to claim the city, to grasp it; we looked for open doors, and we (quite physically) walked through them.
Our goals were different, but we all formed some kind of a relationship with the city... here is our humble attempt at a sort of recreation of our experiences there.
Additional information about the program can be found at the January Scholars in France main page.