老司机视频

Following the recent tragic events that occurred in Paris, Natalie Marshall, an Arcadia University student enrolled in the study abroad program at 老司机视频 this spring , wrote this blog post where she shares the reassuring information she found about security in France, and explains why there is no reason to worry about studying in Paris. Also note that the Vigipirate national security plan is applied in the 老司机视频/Alliance Fran莽aise building so as to ensure that we can welcome our students in a safe and serene environment next week.

This blog post was published on the USA Today College website. Read the full post on the original website

Viewpoint: Why students should not worry about studying in Paris

By Natalie Marshall, junior student at Arcadia University, Spring 2015 study abroad student at the American Graduate School in Paris

When I applied to spend the spring 2015 semester in Paris, I pictured myself relaxing in posh caf茅s, shopping in open-air markets and studying in one of the city鈥檚 famous libraries. What I did not imagine was being thrust into a fragile Paris after three days of terror shook the city.

Since the Jan. 7 at the Paris office of the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo, the Jan. 8 of a policewoman, and the Jan. 9 at a kosher supermarket , I have traded my fantasies of caf茅s and markets for evaluations of safety and security.

But despite the recent attacks, there are three reasons that I decided to follow through with my plans to study in Paris this semester:

1.VIOLENT CRIME IN FRANCE IS RARE

After gunmen killed 12 people at the Charlie Hebdo office in Paris, the incident was called 鈥渢he deadliest attack on French soil in more than 50 years.鈥�

This goes to show how uncommon gun violence is in France compared to the United States. According to GunPolicy.org, the from firearms in France totaled 1,736 in 2010, whereas the came in at 31,672. To account for the size difference in the two populations, the website reported that the annual rate of firearm deaths per 100,000 people was versus .

The U.S. Embassy 鈥淭ips for Traveling Safely Abroad鈥� says that the majority of crimes that occur in France are non-violent, and that the country is 鈥渞elatively safe.鈥� As for, it says 鈥渧iolent crime is relatively rare in the city center,鈥� likening it to that of 鈥渕ost large cities.鈥�

I therefore do not feel that I need to be any more worried about violent acts in Paris than I would be in any large city in the United States.

2. THE FRENCH ARE UNITY-FOCUSED

The largest event by far was a collection unity marches across France on Sunday. Up to 1.6 million people attended , including French President Fran莽ois Hollande and other world leaders. Hollande called for 鈥渧igilance and unity鈥� among the French after the incidents,.France has held over the past few days to unify the country and collectively mourn the shooting victims. One of the most iconic examples came Thursday night when Eiffel Tower went dark and the French held a moment of silence for the victims of the attacks.

This focus on unity following the attacks has proved reassuring and suggests that the city will not remain shaken for long.

3. IT IS STILL THE SAME CITY

These recent events should not overshadow the numerous things that make Paris an exceptional city. Just two months ago, ranked it as the No. 1 city for students.

This was determined by , including university rankings, the student mix, quality of living, employer activity and affordability. And it didn鈥檛 even take the countless museums, historical sites, libraries and cultural experiences Paris has to offer into consideration.

While the recent terror in Paris has been alarming, the attacks have not changed all of these positive aspects of the city. And they will not stop me from getting on a plane to Paris next week. The City of Light still has a great deal to offer all of its visitors, and I predict that my time abroad will be just as enriching, challenging and transformative as it would have been had I studied in Paris before the attacks.