13 Everyday Things That Surprised Me About Paris When I First Arrived

view of Eiffel Tower from Pont de Bir-Hakeim on a cloudy day

As we all know, things are rarely what they look like in the movies or in romanticized novels. We learn so much more about the world around us when we experience things first hand. Here are some everyday things that surprised me about Paris when I first arrived. These aren’t necessarily culture shocks, just things that stood out to me in my initial observations.

Things I Bring Back to France From the United States

Grandma's molasses and Crisco shortening; things to bring to France

I’m sharing my personal list of things that I bring back to France from the United States of America. Every time I’m back in the States, I reference this list so that I can stock up on my favorite food products, ingredients for cooking and baking, personal hygiene items, and pharmaceuticals. This list started out as a note in my phone and here it is now, in all its glory!