Paris is the city of dreams; the city of love. If you are thinking of heading to Paris for a study period, then perhaps a little reality check is in order. But my experience was a romantic one.

I paved my path to Paris through an exchange program. On arrival in Paris, I was constantly reminded of the official processes I was required to complete — forms to be filled in, meetings to attend, the list seemed endless. Perhaps it was due to my well organizational habit, but somehow this endless list of to-do‟s was completed in little more than a week.

Then the real work began. Once classes were underway, I found myself volunteering to do oral presentations and assignments first, rather than last. This method turned out to be very helpful.

Once I had finished class for the week, I had an ever-increasing list of museums to visit, neighborhoods to explore, cafés to sit in, and parks to run around. Read as many books about Paris as you can. Talk to as many locals and other foreigners living there as you can. The one thing that reading a book or talking to someone cannot do is to provide you with the experience of wandering Paris on foot. I discovered some of my favorite places in Paris by wandering. The people watching, the sounds of the city, the colors as the seasons change, they all add to the   ecstasy that is experiencing Paris as an exchange student.

After spending five months wandering through the charming neighborhoods, I fell in love with the atmosphere that came out from every open door, and with every spoken word. There is something comforting about walking to the market each Sunday to be faced with the beautiful display of fruits, vegetables and dairy products. There is warmth in saying bonjour to the man across the hall.

On my last day in Paris, I confidently said, “Bonjour Monsieur,” as I passed the little store down the street. I guess no matter how hard I tried I was always going to be an outsider, a tourist. The best part about going on exchange in Paris is falling in love with the city in your own unique way. Everyone‟s experience of Paris is different. I know mine is unique and special to me, my own little pieces of Paris.

Christmas, which falls on Dec 25 every years, is the most important festival in the West.

During Christmas, a big fat man in a red suit usually takes center stage. His name is Santa Claus.

He lives in the North Pole and sends presents to children in a magic sled(雪橇)that is pulled by flying reindeer(驯鹿).

It sounds crazy, but Santa Claus is very popular. Small children around the world even leave food out for Santa and his reindeer on the night before Christmas. When they wake up in the morning, some of the food is eaten and there are presents under the Christmas tree.

As you grow older you learn that Santa is not real and it is in fact just your parents. I was about 7 or 8 years old when I figured it out for myself. But that doesn’t stop people celebrating Christmas in the same way.

So where did Santa Claus come from? Santa was actually a real man called Saint Nicholas, which sounds very similar to Santa Claus. He was born about 2,000 years ago in the Roman Empire(罗马帝国). He was a   very kind priest(神父)who would travel the country to help people, giving gifts late at night. He did not like to be seen giving gifts, so children were encouraged to go to sleep quickly. Nothing has changed today, with Santa Claus not visiting until all the children are asleep.

The United States version(版本)of Santa Claus was started when Dutch settlers(荷兰移民)arrived about 400 years ago. They called him Sinter Klass and that was slowly changed to Santa Claus over the years. Once big companies like Coca Cola began t o use Santa Claus in their advertisements, he quickly became a symbol of Christmas.

So you're going to the royal wedding！Let's review a checklist of everything you'll need to know.

What to wear at the ceremony

Did you get your fascinator yet？That's a trick question because you probably don't even know what a fascinator is. Royal dress code etiquette（礼仪）states that women must wear hats for formal events，and fascinators are the preferred accessory（配饰）.These funny hats boast a large decorative design. If you haven't packed one，no worries. Simply glue a cabbage to the side of your head. No one will be the wiser，and you can always snack on your fascinator should the wedding ceremony drag on. Gentlemen are expected to wear morning coats and top hats. Royals will likely wear their military uniforms.

Meeting the royals

Men, when greeting the royals, a simple bow will do. Not so low that it looks as if you're examining the carpet for any medals they might have dropped. This is a slight neck bow. Women perform a curtsy. Simply put one leg behind the other, bend your knees, bow your head slightly -and fall over because you've never done this before.

Chatting up the queen

The first rule of talking to the queen: Don't talk. That is, unless spoken to. If she does start a conversation and you find you've run out of interesting stuff to discuss after "Hello," break the ice with a joke "Hey, why did the queen go to the dentist? To get her teeth crowned!"

Dining

Every meal begins and ends with the queen. You can't start eating until she starts，and you stop when she stops. The queen doesn't appear to be a large eater，so you should wolf down your food in case she push the plate away after a few bites，When dining，the royals hold knives in their right hand and forks in their left with the tines facing down. Should they spill（洒落）even a pea，they drop one spot in the royal line of succession.