Snails. I ate them.

The idea to some seems rather repulsive, mostly because of the mental prejudice we have for gooey, slimy things. Escargot, as it turns out, tastes fantastic but has the texture and composition similar to calamari. Also on my list of new things I tried in Paris was bone marrow of lamb. It was salty and delicious.

As my semester wanes, the advice I have for new study abroad students is simple: Leave your presumptions at home. I urge you to throw yourself headfirst at things you’ve never tried. Skip the McDonalds and instead go to the local pub on the corner and get fish and chips. Ignore the Starbucks and instead opt for Auntie’s Tea Shop, a family owned cafe. Put back the bottle of Budweiser, and instead pour something from Samuel Smith’s Brewery, or Theakston’s Old Peculier Ale.

You may not like everything you try, but you’ll never know until you do.