<p>I have to decide between Paris and Berlin for this year's winter quarter study abroad program.</p>
<p>Which location should I choose? What are the pros/cons of each compared to the other? Where would I have more fun? How do their environments/culture differ?</p>
<p>Language does not matter in my decision.</p>
<p>Do you have a specific university partnership? (Which universities?) That could certainly make or break the deal.
Consider the information shared in this thread:
London</a>, Paris or Berlin... which is better? - superfuture :: supertalk</p>
<p>In your position I'd choose Paris. I've just heard that Paris as a city is awesome and I've also heard that Germans aren't incredibly accepting to foreigners. That was only from one person, though. I know another person that studied in Germany and liked it.</p>
<p>I'd most definitely choose Paris over Berlin as well.</p>
<p>^I've actually heard the opposite of what Russel7 has heard. I've been to Germany, and overall the Germans seemed pretty welcoming. However, my friends who went to France said that the French tend to have this "superiority complex" and don't like people who don't speak French. Now of course, this is just hearsay, so take it with a grain of salt.</p>
<p>I've heard the same as Hippo. Every year our school band goes to Germany and Austria, and everyone said the Germans were really friendly.</p>
<p>hippo, you sure they said french and not french canadians? I'm from Canada and that's a commonly said thing about french canadians. They have nothing to do with actual french people. Mind you I don't know that many french people.</p>
<p>^I've also heard that about French Canadians, but they were talking about "real" French people (the French students went to France last year the same time I along with the other German students went to Germany).</p>
<p>the French are huge racists especially if you don't speak French. I'd say go enjoy beer and the other pleasures of Germany. If you want to go shopping or sightseeing, 3-4 days is more than enough for exploring Paris (the countryside is a different story tho.) I love the Ardennes, try to check it out if you're in France. Do go to a soccer game if you can, football is where the authentic experience is at.</p>
<p>Alright I stand corrected. Oddly enough the guy that told me bad things about Germans was from France.</p>
<p>I absolutely loved Berlin. The city is so fun, vibrant, there's a ton of stuff to do and see, a lot of GREAT museums (the Berlin film museum has the original Darth Vader costume from the movie!), the Jewish museum and the Monument to the Murdered Jews of Europe (doesn't sound that cheery, I know) is a MUST-SEE. It's amazing. Also you can see the Berlin Wall (what's left of it is now an exhibit), the East Side Gallery where Western painters did murals on the wall, Checkpoint Charlie is great as well.</p>
<p>As far as culture and environment, I'm not sure how old you are (college age?). Berlin has a huge club scene if you're into that; if you're not, there's plenty to do as well. You can drink there (16 beer, 18 hard liquor but I never saw anyone get carded when I was there...kids who looked 12 bought beer) if that affects your decision at all. </p>
<p>The U-Bahn subway system is pretty clean, easy to use, and there are actually many modes of transportation. Just make sure you get an U-Bahn ticket because the police do random searches of subway cars and if you don't have a ticket you get a big fine.</p>
<p>I always found the people to be very friendly and open to foreigners. I never found Germans to be hostile to Americans; some would say "I don't like president Bush" but never "I don't like you." </p>
<p>If you have any other questions about Berlin feel free to ask but that's all I can think of right now.</p>
<p>Both Germans and Frenchmen do not like people that do not talk their language and spesificly americans :D</p>
<p>true I dont think french people like americans.</p>
<p>paris .</p>
<p>
[quote]
the French are huge racists especially if you don't speak French.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Let's not haphazardly throw the "R" word around. The French are very protective of their culture but that does not make them racists in the sense they believe in some kind of white brotherhood and the inferiority of non-whites. Modern French society has always tried to promote the idea that Frenchness is not a skin colour or an ethnicity but an acceptance of their culture. Of course, it does not always work so ideally in practice, but let's not equate the French with American rednecks or something.</p>
<p>because of the Bush`s political ideas , i am not sure there is an european country that likes America.I hope this will change soon..</p>