I'm an American who visited Paris for the first time. Here are the 11 things that surprised me most.

Kirsten AcunaJul 29, 2022, 04:32 IST

I didn't expect to see people coming up to me at the Eiffel tower asking if I wanted to purchase wine or beer on a week night.Kirsten Acuna/Insider

In July, I traveled abroad for the first time in my life.
From the time I landed, I made a list of all the things that surprised me about being in France.

It doesn't get dark until well after 10 p.m. (in the summer).

It's 9:43 p.m. in this photo.Kirsten Acuna/Insider

Paris' (CDG) airport had parking spots to drop off passengers, making it stress-free for everyone involved.

This seems like it should be a no-brainer for congested airports in America.Kirsten Acuna/Insider

Protective glass to prevent passengers from falling onto the subway tracks feels like a no-brainer that we should have in the US.

The level of protection at some Metro stops in Paris puts NYC's transportation system to shame.Kirsten Acuna/Insider

Extra tiny stop lights are seen at every traffic stop for cyclists and motorists.

In addition to regular stop lights, each one has a smaller one a little bit below it.Kirsten Acuna/Insider

The crosswalks don't have time countdowns.

I made sure to cross the street right away any time a light changed because I never knew how much time I had left to walk safely.Kirsten Acuna/Insider

One of the hotels I stayed at gave me an actual key on an oversized keychain to access my room.

This is a hotel key I received when I arrived at my Paris hotel.Kirsten Acuna/Insider

You have to pay to enter some public restrooms.

The bathroom looked fancy with attendees waiting for me, but I didn't have change on me to go to the bathroom.Kirsten Acuna/Insider

Hotel bathrooms included hygiene bags in them.

Hygiene bags were common in bathrooms.Kirsten Acuna/Insider

People walk around offering wine and beer for sale at the Eiffel Tower like it's water.

People come around asking if you'd like to purchase alcohol as you're sitting in front of the Eiffel Tower.Kirsten Acuna/Insider

The hole at the top of a Starbucks cup was round and small instead of a wider oval.

A Starbucks coffee cup in Paris vs the United States.Kirsten Acuna/Insider

If you ordered food at McDonald's, you could take a number and have your food brought to you.

My meal came so fast that I didn't have time to snap a photo of the number next to the food.Kirsten Acuna/Insider

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