Visit the Park!
A great way to meet the local people in Lyon is by going to the Park. There are always so many people walking around and having picnics on nice days and they are all very friendly. Most people say hello or bon jour and if you stop to talk to them they are always interested in having a conversation, that is if they understand English. Also there have been times in restaurants where people have overheard our accents and will ask where we are from and they are always very welcoming to us. It’s a bit different at school because there are so many small universities in our building and we tend to stay with our friends, but sometimes people recognize that we are American and will ask us about different things in the hallway or outside. I have found the local people in Lyon to be very kind any time or place I have met someone.
I have done a lot of shopping while abroad, mostly for gifts for friends and family and clothes for myself. The more interesting things I spend my money on are experiences. On the weekends my friends and I travel to different places and try to see as many things as possible. One weekend I went to Paris and while I was there I went to the top of the Arc du Triumph as well as visited the Louvre and the Palace of Versailles. Another weekend, I traveled to see my friend in London where I saw Big Ben and went to Borough Market. I prefer spending my money on experiences I will remember forever so I try to save my money for the weekends. In terms of staying within a budget I try to cook for myself a lot because it is cheaper than going to a restaurant and I always check different transportation costs for to make sure I am always getting a good deal. The most interesting thing I have bought while abroad is a new passport. When traveling one weekend I lost it and had to go to the embassy to buy temporary documents. It was incredibly stressful because I only had a day to get it, but I was able to make my flight and still enjoy my trip!
