Welcome Orlando!

Hello everyone,
My name is Orlando. As a new contributor to De San Diego à Paris I will be providing a new perspective of the times and experiences of a California kid living in Paris as a study abroad student. Like Laura, I chose to spend a year studying the french language and culture in Paris. You may already recognize me from a few of Laura's Vlogs, photos or mentions in a post, but I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself in a little more detail.
A Quick Bio

I was born in Los Angeles County and grew up there my entire life. Growing up I was very interested in politics, reading, playing Scrabble, entrepreneurship and life in general. My interest in French however, did not even begin to develop until much later in my life. I took my first French course at my current university The California State University of Long Beach the Spring Semester of my second year of college about 3 and a half years ago. Ever since my early teens I had the dream of opening up a business in a foreign country. The dream began as a nightclub in Brazil, so naturally my first choice language to study was Portuguese. But after encountering severe difficulties finding classes at my school or any other school within 100 miles I decided to give French a try.

The reason I chose French was because I at the time as well as currently, am very into French electro and house music. I remember hearing certain artist sing with French lyrics and have French song titles and I wanted to understand what they were talking about. Its pretty crazy how a little thing like that can drastically change your life. I was never interested in French or French culture growing up. I never thought a French accent was sexy or romantic, and now that I can actually speak and understand French I definitely don't.

I did however develop a deep love for the language and culture. Ill never forget the moment when I was sitting in my French 101B class and it dawned on me. I was understanding what my teacher was saying. In a short period of time I went from not understanding jack shit in french to understanding some words, then phrases, then subjects and finally being able to live my daily life in French. It was an accomplishment that opened up a new world for me and one of the most proud moments of my life.

As the new contributor I will uphold the integrity and purpose of this blog as a resource for students all over the globe who wish to study the french language and culture. The year I spent in Paris was by far the best experience in my life and I am dedicated to helping anyone who wishes to share my experiences.

Contact Me

Do not hesitate me to contact me with questions or for tips on what to do in Paris/France/Europe. Whether you are staying for a year or for a couple of days I will happy to help. Follow me on Twitter @elchuntytrucha and keep an eye out for my next post. I will go into detail regarding my experience working in Paris and share some stories describing what it is like.

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