STAINS

A Magazine On The American Experience in Paris

The Project

Stains presents an immersive exploration of Parisian culture and language through the lens of an American student (me) who spent 24 days in the city during a study abroad program. Stains, as a research project, incorporates personal narratives, ethnographic research, and insights from art and history to document the experience of being an American in Paris. The magazine structure of this project allows for the combination of writing, photography, and illustration to capture this cultural journey.

Through this approach, Stains aims to explore cultural immersion and the relationship between American and Parisian life, contributing to the understanding of intercultural experiences and the transformative nature of studying abroad.

Project Orgin

This magazine was first born from a class assignment given while studying abroad in Paris through Miami University. Inspired by Ernest Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast, the project aimed to document my experiences in the city. While the initial version was also a magazine, it was significantly shorter than the final product.

Upon returning to the States and starting my spring semester, with the help of my French professor, Dr. Hodges I decided to expand upon this project to present at Miami’s Undergraduate Research Forum. In doing so, I integrated more academic research and writing while still retaining the humorous elements I had originally crafted.

Research

Objective

This research aims to provide a comprehensive and multidimensional exploration of the experience of being an American in Paris through the integration of personal narratives, ethnographic studies, and analyses of art and history.

Analysis

Stains offers a compelling and multidisciplinary analysis of the experience of being an American in Paris, presented in a unique magazine format which enhances the accessibility and engagement of the research findings, appealing to a broader audience beyond traditional academic circles. 

Findings

As a research project, I developed several key findings in the nuanced ways in which culture manifests and shapes everyday life:

  • Cultural Relativity and Perception

  • Interpersonal Dynamics and Social Customs

  • Language as a Gateway

  • Historic and Artistic Context

(Read More Specifics in the Research Poster Below)

Research Poster Presented:

My experiences in France have truly left a mark on me, both metaphorically and physically. Much like my wine-soaked pants, my experiences in Paris have stained me. I no longer exist as I was before, I’m marked by the adventures that unfolded each day. And try as I might to scrub them out, they’re not going anywhere, at least for a long time.

-Stains

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