By Robby Benezra, MPMT Senior

Participating in the NBA in Paris Study Abroad program was a dream come true. I grew up a MASSIVE basketball fan. My dad used to take me to Orlando Magic and Miami Heat games when I was a young kid, and I quickly fell in love with the sport and even started playing myself.

I’ve also been lucky enough to travel the world with my family and have experienced the wonders of Paris before. But experiencing the City of Light alongside newfound friends made for an experience I’ll never forget.

I learned so much in my short time spent abroad. Not only did I learn how to use advanced camera equipment to help make my project the best it could be, I also learned a bit of French. In fact, I loved meeting locals on the street and learning about European culture.

Yet, my favorite part of the program has to be the NBA game itself. Some friends and I had great seats at Accord Arena and we witnessed players such as Zach Lavine and DeMar DeRozen show off their skills in person. Hearing the thunderous ovation the crowd gave French-American Pistons player (and Florida native!) Killian Hayes truly showed how much the French support their own!

Unfortunately, I experienced some technical difficulties that caused me to miss some of the tours. My computer broke as soon as we landed. Refusing to accept defeat, I took the metro to the nearest Apple Store. I bought myself a new computer, which I returned the next day. Although it caused some trouble, I did not let it stop me from enjoying the rest of my French experience.

Two of my favorite parts of this program were the visit of the Montparnasse Tower and the cruise on the Seine. Viewing the city’s beauty from the top of a skyscraper was unbelievable! I also tried bass for the first time on the cruise!

Overcoming the language barrier presented to be more of a challenge than I previously thought. I even had trouble asking where the nearest bathroom was within the Arena and in restaurants. I tried to  communicate with French speakers effectively, but it was quite the task, especially for my project. With my awesome partner Reighan Sheppard, we interviewed people on the streets of Paris and we successfully put together a great video!

Traveling without my family for the first time, and not knowing anybody going into this program really gave me a new appreciation for French culture. I hope one day I can revisit Paris and enjoy even more experiences!

Posted: March 13, 2023
Category: NBA in Paris
Tagged as: Chicago Bulls, Detroit Pistons, NBA in Paris, Paris, Sports Journalism and Communications, Sports@CJC, Study Abroad, Study Abroad experience, Study Abroad in Paris