Reflections On A Year In France

Post written by Ambassador Abroad, Rose who participated in our High School Abroad Program in France for a full Academic Year!

What were your expectations before going abroad, and how did the reality compare?

Before going abroad I had spoken to many other past exchange students, both with CIEE and other programs, and everything they said and experienced created an image in my head of what study abroad “should” look like. I let all of their stories sort of influence my vision of what I thought study abroad should be, and not what it is. In truth, studying abroad is different for every single person, and nobody will really be able to tell you exactly what it will be for you. For example, people always told me that it was hard to adjust to a new language, and while this can be true, everybody is different, and I found it easier to adjust than some people. Another example that I can think of is my classes at my French high school. Everybody, including other French students, told me beforehand that French school was the worst and that it was very difficult. While the curriculum is different from the American one, I was able to adjust to my school with the help of my teachers and peers, and now I miss my French school and honestly preferred it to my American one!

Describe a moment when you felt completely out of your comfort zone, and what you learned from it.

My host family took me to ski right after Christmas, and I hadn’t gone skiing in years. Having grown up in New England, the slopes were much smaller than in Europe, and I was so scared. My host dad had been a ski instructor when he was younger, and he trusted me to go down a particularly difficult run that I was terrified to do. I ended up making a mistake about halfway down, and falling down the rest of the run. I got back up and kept skiing, even though I was more scared than before. If I hadn’t pushed myself to keep going that first day, I wouldn’t have been able to have an as amazing time as I did when they took me to the Alps to ski during the next vacation. The week we spent there skiing was one of the best times I had abroad, and I’m glad I was able to move past my fear. This showed me that doing things that I was scared of would help me become a braver person and open up more opportunities for me.

What’s one cultural habit or tradition you experienced that changed how you see the world or yourself?

When I was in France I spent Christmas with my host family, and I was so scared that it wouldn’t feel like Christmas if I wasn’t at my grandparents’ house with my family. I have a family with many traditions, for example, winter walks, having santons (traditional french figurines for nativity scenes), and playing games and reading together by the fire, which are important to me and I’ve had all my life. While it was still weird to not be with my family for Christmas, my host family actually had a lot of similar traditions as my family, and I felt right at home with them. Even though my family and my host family live on different continents, they have similar traditions that they follow. This helped me see that even when people are separated by distance, their cultures and traditions have similar aspects that bring them together.

How did being away from your usual environment affect the way you think about home and community?

When I left I was so scared to leave behind the only home and community I had ever known, but as soon as I got there I was taken into new ones, that I have grown to love as much as the one I grew up in. Gaining not only my immediate host family but my host grandmother, cousins, aunts, and uncles, showed me that family isn’t always who we’re born with, but who we meet along the way as well. I met a bunch of loving friends who immediately took me in, and they taught me that communities can be formed anywhere, even somewhere like the Model United Nations club or in the classroom. The third community I had the privilege of being a part of is the CIEE one. The Americans (and Canadians) who came to France with me became some of my close friends, and the CIEE staff, both in France and America, became my huge supporters throughout the year!

Was there a moment you felt especially proud of yourself while abroad? Tell us what happened.

The moment I felt the most proud of myself abroad was when I finally achieved the language goal I had been working towards my whole life. After months of studying French and speaking it constantly, I took the Seal of Biliteracy and passed, something I had wanted for years. It showed me that all of the effort I had been putting in had paid off, and I finally had a real measure of my progress.

How did this experience shape your future goals, dreams, or what you want to do next?

My time with CIEE helped me realize that I want to study history and political science in college. Through all the time I spent meeting new people who came from different countries and backgrounds, I realized that I was passionate about helping people and listening to their experiences. My time with CIEE also inspires me to serve more in my community and to meet other likeminded people and share my experiences with them. Since getting back, I’ve joined a French conversation class where I’ve met some of the most amazing people and heard some of the best stories I’ve ever heard.

What advice would you give to a student who is nervous about leaving home for a semester abroad?

The advice I would give to anyone who is nervous about leaving home is to always ask for help and try everything. People in your host country will be eager to meet and help you, and your host family, teachers, friends, and CIEE staff are all there to make sure you have a great time and want to help in any way they can. Just ask! Also, don’t limit yourself and be as open as you can to every experience. You only live your study abroad year once, and you should make the most of it as you can!

If you could bring one part of your host country back home with you (a mindset, a food, a way of life) what would it be and why?

The thing I miss the most aside from my host family and friends is definitely boulangeries. American grocery stores and bakeries just aren’t the same. I miss being able to just go next door and pick up a ham and cheese sandwich, a baguette, and some warm pastries. There was a boulangerie right next door to my school, and another American girl at my school and I would go every Friday for sandwiches or pizza and a cookie. It was also the perfect study spot for early in the mornings or after school!

If you are interested in studying abroad during high school, you can apply here or you can schedule a call with an Enrollment Coordinator to start planning.    

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