In a moment of spontaneity, I packed my bags and decided to sign up for a language program and go…read moreto Paris alone for 8 weeks. Through the language school I was able to make housing accommodations at La Cité internationale Universitaire de Paris (http://www.ciup.fr/en/). I stayed at La Fondation Hellenique in a single room. The bathroom is shared by the floor (basically it's a college dorm with a communal kitchen and washing machines). The proximity to the metro AND the tram (for those hungover/lazy days) was also pretty awesome! Tram being right outside my door and the metro 2 blocks away. _______________________ WARNING: If you do decide to stay at the Cite-U, make sure NOT to arrive on a Sunday or past 17:00h Monday-Saturday because you will be locked out (you have to be given the key by your individual house's receptionist). Make sure once you know which house you will be staying in, to CALL the house and ask them their hours and inform them of your arrival! ________________________ Moving on, My fear of being the anti-social American loner rejected by the French was gone by my 2nd day in Paris! Every night we'd drink wine and sit on the steps of the house and gather a big group. By the end of my stay our group had grown to around 25 people. On nice days, we'd sit tan on the quad and at nights we'd party at other houses. The dining hall food was pretty good for what you paid for it, but there are also a bunch of supermarkets by the port d'orleans train stop. AVOID the Lidl.

I remember when I first arrived here back in 2008 I was a little shocked by the simplicity of the…read moreplace but it definitely grew on me. What great times we had here! I had come to Paris to study the French language for a month. The people at the front desk spoke broken English (probably on par with my French) so make sure you know your basics. It is very dorm like - shared bathrooms and kitchens but it all adds to the wonderful experience. Very convenient location. There are grocery stores, restaurants, the metro and the bus within minutes. Oh, I miss those days dearly!

Avoid Fondation Etats Unis if possible. Crowded, loud, and very outdated. The building faces bd…read moreJourdan which is busy and the metro makes the whole building rumble when it goes by. The facilities are old and outdated- cracked stone floors and stained walls. There's is not even an overhead light in all rooms. Shared spaces like the kitchen and laundry facilities are a nightmare. No guarantee that the washers or dryers will work after you've put in your token, and there is one fridge/ kitchen for two entire floors. Cooking equipment is often stolen, best not to leave anything of your own in there. Showers work like those sinks where you press a button and it runs for 15 seconds. No way to adjust the temperature and only some showers have actual shower heads. Maintenance is slow and inconsistent- light it the toilet was out for 3 weeks before they fixed it-it was pitch black at night. The security is good however, with someone at reception 24/7 and heavy doors that need to be opened with codes. Cite university itself has a lot to offer and maybe housing is better in other maisons, but avoid Fondation EU at all costs