Study Abroad and Domestic Study Away

Studying abroad has been one of the most exhausting but also one of the most exhilarating experiences of my life. I spent two weeks in France during high school but living here on my own has been a completely different experience. On the exhilarating side, I have been able to improve and practice my French language skills and see amazing sites throughout Europe. On the exhausting side, arrival and getting my bearings during the first week of my semester in France, was the most uncomfortable I have ever been in my life.  

After landing in Geneva, Switzerland I took about a one-hour bus ride to Annecy, France. I vividly remember how I felt when I stepped off that bus in my new town. It was a hot day with people buzzing all around and I was lugging all of my belongings. I was nervous, excited, tired, and sweaty. The bus dropped me off near “le gare” or the train station in the center of old town Annecy. I had no idea how to find my campus and student housing and I had not been able to set up my iPhone wireless data yet. So, there I was, left to navigate a small town in a foreign country without the modern standard of wireless data. I was ready to take on the challenge. I found the first approachable person and tried to put my french to use… it worked! They actually understood me and said, “tu parles bien français!”. The problem was that they responded so fast in French that I had no idea what directions they gave me. Eventually someone pointed to a bus stop and told me what number bus I needed to take. This started a week-long mission of talking to locals in French, trying to find my way around town and trying to figure out how to get my phone to work.  

Once my first week passed successfully, I really settled in and overall had a great four months of being immersed in the French culture and traveling around Europe. As a result of this experience, I am committed to continuing to travel and explore the world and also to continuing to grow my French language proficiency. 

Annecy Le Thiou River: