There are many challenges that I have faced here in Paris during my study abroad experience. The main challenge is very exclusively the language barrier. While many people living or working in Paris know English, there are times that I run into an issue where someone does not speak French. This occurs mostly when ordering food or finding directions somewhere. In Creteil, where my apartment is, more people do not speak English. This can be difficult because I buy my groceries at a store in Creteil since it is close to my apartment. Sometimes, they get upset when I do not know French, so I try my best. The second challenge is learning customs like greetings, meals, and more. I do not know what is proper etiquette in many situations. Our French teacher, Emmanuelle, taught us about the different courses in a typical French dinner. However, even after she told us etiquette for our visits to home, we still struggled to remember what is proper. For instance, it is improper to sit or eat before the host does. It is still not normal for me to kiss people's cheeks instead of hugging or shaking hands. Yet, our hosts usually tell us to sit before they have. I had to understand that it is okay to ask questions because they know I am not from here. Other things can be challenging as well like the metro. During rush hour, the metro is very crowded and hot. There have been many times that people are fallen onto me or times that I have been in tight spaces for rides that last up to an hour. This is rare, but it does happen.