Navigating Your Identity in a New Cultural Context

Taking the leap into living in a brand new cultural environment can stir up many unasked questions and unforeseen emotions about who you are as a person. Getting onto the airplane, you are the person you’ve known your entire life. Then, landing as someone who seems familiar, yet strange. In moments where your once crystal-clear identity becomes fuzzy and peculiar, it’s important to truly look into yourself and embrace all of the new challenges to come your way. Trust me when I say that your complex and multifaceted identity is not something that must remain fixed. You and your identity are a colorful, deep, and evolving story for you to discover while living in your brand new culture.

In my personal experience, nearly every single aspect of my life changed once arriving in Rennes, France. The girl I’ve known my entire life had to do a complete 180. At home, I never had a reason to do things that I’ve never done before, but now I’ve been pushed out of my comfort zone. It’s nerve-wracking at first, I’ll admit, but it’s such a freeing feeling being able to put myself out there and try some new things. For example, navigating the metro and bus system was a bit of a challenge, as was getting used to using a language that is not native to me and learning all the new customs of the people around me. But once I got the hang of things, I felt so much better about myself as a person. While being outside of your comfort zone can be, well, uncomfortable, these experiences, these challenges, they change your perspective on the world and of yourself. You begin to see things in a new light. I’ve discovered some strengths that I didn’t even know I had. And overtime, I notice small shifts in the way that I go about and think about doing things. I have to communicate in a completely different language, I have to be socially aware, and I must be culturally sensitive to those around me and I appreciate every single thing I’ve learned since being in Rennes.

Studying abroad isn’t just about exploring a new place, it’s about evolving as a person. Becoming a more flexible, open-minded version of yourself. I know, personally, that I don’t particularly like when people mispronounce my name and it just didn’t occur to me that the way my name is pronounced in the States is not going to be the same while in France. They have their own accents, their own pronunciation of the alphabet, and so on. In the States, I am “eye-suh.” But here in France, I’ve become “ee-say-uh.” To me, it’s like I’ve become a brand new person. Someone who is outgoing and loves trying new things. Someone who is curious about the different customs and traditions around me. I’ve evolved.

It is important as well, however, to notice your moments of discomfort. Adapting to a new environment is stressful and can be a bit scary at first and that is totally okay! There is always going to be a “learning curve” when it comes to trying new things, especially if this thing just happens to be living in another country during your studies. All of the “norms” of society that you’ve become accustomed to, all of the “correct” behaviors, they change. One piece of advice would be to not resist all of these differences you notice between yourself and others. Rather, look at these differences as opportunities to expand your societal perspective. And yes, for anyone it’s natural to feel some type of pressure when it comes to “fitting in,” I know I had those feelings. I was afraid that I would stand out like a sore thumb and not be accepted for who I am and what I value. I wanted to blend in as quickly as possible, but your true self will show naturally if you are being your authentic, true self. 

All in all, navigating your identity in a new cultural context is not about losing who you are, it’s about discovering more of yourself. Studying abroad gives you a new chance to rediscover yourself in all different kinds of aspects. All of the curiosity, the challenges, it builds up the foundation of who you are. Studying abroad is not losing yourself, but expanding your horizons. And upon returning home, you will get to keep the souvenir of a lifetime: a brand new version of yourself.

Icea Lopez

Mercyhurst University

CIEE-Rennes Summer Intensive French Language Program