Hello everyone! Did I say I would update this weekly? I believe I may have grossly overestimated how much free time I would have during this study abroad. I am currently sitting at my gate in the Orly airport in Paris waiting to board my flight to Lisbon because it was just delayed an hour, and I believe this is the first time in weeks I have had to just sit and do nothing. I do not say that to complain, however, because the past four weeks have been nothing short of a 28 day adrenaline rush.
I’m not quite sure where to begin recapping the past 18 days that I’ve experienced since I last updated this blog. I suppose, though, the major highlights would be a good place. Since I last posted, I’ve taken a weekend trip to Madrid where it just so happened that Real Madrid won the Champions League Final. I was crossing the street when Real Madrid scored their goal and the street erupted in cheers while all the cars began honking. It felt super cool and quite European to experience an atmosphere like that for a soccer match. I, additionally, ate my body weight in tapas while discovering my love for Spanish croquetas, a type of breaded dumpling filled with a creamy sauce. Upon my return to Paris, I was able to attend a soccer match between the French national team and Denmark at Stade de France. This was truly a bucket-list item for me. I’ve been supporting the French national team for quite some time now and it felt surreal to see players that I’m used to watching on TV from another side of the planet in person. Another surreal moment from that match was hearing the French national anthem sung in the stadium. The atmosphere was absolutely electric and my friends and I all looked at each other in complete awe after the stadium finished singing. For me, at least, the atmosphere more than made up for the French loss of that match. Additionally, through the study abroad program, I was able to take a day trip to Reims, the champagne region of France. There, I was able to do a little champagne tasting at a beautiful vineyard.
In between all of that I did have classes as well. From 9-5 every week day I took two classes in French. One class was on French art and I had the opportunity to visit museums such as the Musée D’Orsay (my personal favorite), the Musée de l’Orangerie, and the Centre Pompidou. My favorite French artist, I discovered, is Delacroix. I grew to really appreciate his romantic style of painting that emphasized depicting strong human emotion. The other class was on sociolinguistics in French. We discussed variations in the French language based on regional and situational differences. Ultimately, I feel as though my French was able to improve a lot. After having lived with a host family and having taken two classes in French, my comprehension skills became near effortless by the end of the trip. My speaking ability still requires much concentration but I feel very content with the level I have been able to reach. Being able to improve my French has been an immense highlight for me as well.
Like I described in my last post, however, the moments I’ve cherished the most are the simple interactions that I’ve had. Just sitting at a café, drinking a spritz with the new friends I’ve made through this study abroad has been such a highlight. I’ve truly enjoyed just soaking it all in. Getting to know and become friends with my host family’s daughter has been such an incredible highlight as well. I feel so fortunate to have had such a great experience staying with my host family and I feel as though my interactions with them truly made my stay in Paris what it was. There is something so special about creating a bond with someone who lives in another part of the world. Getting to know someone around your age from another country allows you to experience the culture so authentically. Like I said in my last post, it’s those bonds that made me want to pursue French and International Studies in the first place. Thanks to this experience, I know I’m leaving France with another close French friend and that’s probably the biggest highlight of all.
I’m having a hard time believing this first chapter of my summer has come to an end. Time most definitely flies when you’re having fun because four weeks have never passed so quickly. I feel as though my biggest takeaway from this past month is that I could definitely see myself living in Paris or in another large European city. I was unsure before this study abroad whether living abroad full-time would be something I’d end up being interested in. I figured there was a chance I’d spend a month living in Paris and realize that I ultimately preferred to live in the United States. However, I discovered just the opposite. I’ve already begun looking into Masters programs in Europe, as that seems to make the most sense for a lot of reasons. The affordability of studying in Europe in comparison with the United States is persuasive enough, however, it aligns perfectly with my interest in International Studies as well.
Needless to say, I’m extremely content with how this first study abroad went. As I get ready to board my flight to Lisbon, I’m looking forward to having a few days to simply be a tourist without any classes. I’m also looking forward to exploring another major European city.
Until next time !
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