My Journey in Pastry School: Week One

This past week has been a whirlwind, and I’ve been trying to find little pockets of time to stay connected with my loved ones, study more French, and prepare my meals. Mornings revolve around calculating how much time I have left to down my coffee before I need to leave for school. The walk takes about 30 minutes, though I could probably cut that in half if I took the train. But I choose to walk – it’s my time to breathe in the crisp morning air and observe Parisianson their morning commute. Since I live in a non-touristy area, people assume I’m French, or at least fluent, which constantly feels like you’re playing an undercover spy game. 

A Magical Start

School has been both incredible and intense. I’ve never started something where, as they announced the curriculum on the first day, I got genuinely excited. Not ‘oh okay, I can do this,’ but ‘Yes! I want to learn that! And that! And that too!’ This must be my version of Harry Potter going to Hogwarts – except instead of magic, I get to nerd out about the art of pastry. 

What We Did in Week One

• Getting our uniforms and lockers – Every morning, we change into our jackets, pants, and steel-toed kitchen clogs. As long as we’re roaming around in school, we need to be in uniform. Once we enter the labs, we have to add in hairnets, pastry hats, and aprons to keep everything clean. The transformation is real because once I wear that jacket, I feel like a pastry chef (even though I know little as of now).   
• Receiving our toolkits – And what a beauty she is! Opening it felt like Christmas morning. This toolkit contained everything we would need for school, all kinds of rubber and palette spatulas, knives, whisks, tasting spoons, cutter rings, digital scales etc. We learned how to sanitize and store our tools properly. 

• Learning the rules – From how to greet and show respect to our chefs, to what’s allowed (and not allowed) in school, this was our crash course in pastry school etiquette. 
• Touring the campus and labs – We were shown where we’d be working, where the library was (yes, a library, the nerd in me internally shouts), little rec rooms to hang out in, bathrooms, courtyard where most of the French students smoke and hang out.
• Diving into hygiene and safety – This was definitely an emphasis as we would be preparing food. Hygiene and cleanliness is king when handling food. If I’m going to be honest, the first quarter of our day would be spent cleaning our tools and the whole area itself. 
• Discussing the curriculum – This was when it really hit me – we’re going to learn so damn much. From the classic techniques to our final creativity project, everything seemed challenging but exciting. Oh yes, we also go on a lot of field trips!

• Discovering Lunches at the Cafeteria – As expected from one of France’s top culinary schools, even the cafeteria sets a high bar. 

• Making Friends – of course, I don’t think I will survive this time living by myself if I didn’t already feel like I have a great group of people to spend this time with. The energy in our international patisserie program is friendly, eager, and collaborative – pretty much like an episode of The Great British Bakeoff. Just yesterday we stayed past 7:30 PM, exhausted and hungry, commiserating and laughing together before heading home. 

Adjusting to a New Life

Back home, life was stable. I worked remotely at a cushy desk job, I spoke the language, knew how everything functioned – from grocery stores to the DMV. But moving to another country, even temporarily… that’s an entirely new rulebook.

This has been easily the longest week I’ve had in a while, simply because I’m constantly learning – even in the smallest things. How to take out the trash, use self-checkout, or turn my phone into a train pass. Nothing is on autopilot yet. 

How I Spend My Free Time

When I’m not in school, I’ve been trying to:

• Make my space feel like home – I’ve picked up a few things to make my rental cozier, rearranged some furniture, and taped photos of my loved ones to the wall. Every time I pass by, I smile, knowing they’re cheering me on in my journey. 

• Find green spaces – Coming from the West Coast in the US, where we’re spoiled with open skies, sunshine, and swaths of greenery, Paris in February feels a bit dreary – concrete buildings (the most beautiful architecture, yes, but still slabs of gray), and rain. Luckily I’m sandwiched between two beautiful parks. This Sunday I spent time in one of them getting to know some of the local wildlife. 

• Cook more meals – as much as I’d love to eat at a different trendy cafe every night, reality (and my student budget) say otherwise. Plus, between rich cafeteria food and all the pastry tasting, I’d rather not fast track myself to sickness. Dining out feels more special when it’s social, so I’ve reserved it for weekends with classmates. The best part? I don’t feel FOMO because I know I have months to experience a lot of what Paris has to offer. 

• Stay in touch with loved ones – calls, video chats, texts – whatever it takes to stay connected. 

A Tired, Happy Heart

By the end of each day, I’m exhausted and desire nothing more but to put my feet up on the couch. But it’s a good kind of tired – the kind that comes from learning, growing, and feeling like I’m fully experiencing life. I feel younger, more rejuvenated, and eager for whatever pastry school, and life, will throw me next. 

Til next update!