Excitement and Fears

Ever since I was young, I have loved traveling. I always looked forward to our family vacations whether we were going an hour away or all the way across the country. I grew up with a strong appreciation for seeing new places and experiencing different cultures. As I have gotten older it has become more difficult to plan family trips because of school and work which is why studying abroad is such an amazing opportunity.

Taking classes in another country is something I have always considered doing, however finding an ideal time to leave for a full semester can be difficult. That is why when I first heard about this specific program, I was ecstatic. The timing of the half semester at the beginning of the Summer combined with the opportunity to take my business core classes was more than enough to convince me. The program being locating in France was just an added bonus. All throughout High School as well as this past semester I studied French and have grown to have a strong love for the language and the culture. I have visited France once before and could not be more excited to return and see more of the country.

During my time abroad I expect to develop a larger appreciation for the French culture. They have a lot of specific habits in terms of meals and communication that I’m looking forward to experiencing. I have many goals while I’m abroad including doing well in my classes, becoming and independent traveler, and trying a bunch of new foods, but one of my biggest goals is to improve my French. I have been studying the language for so long, but no amount of classes compares to actually having to communicate with locals. I can’t wait to test my knowledge and work on my accent! I am slightly nervous about the daily commute because it is not something I’m used to and I don’t know how reliable their public transportation is, however I am sure I will be accustomed to it quickly and I won’t be the only one confused at first. Also, I have never lived on my own before. I know that my classmates will be in my building, but this is the first time I will have a whole apartment to myself. While this amount of independence scares me, it also is exciting.

I would say my biggest fear about going abroad definitely comes from the terrorist attacks that have happened over the past few years, and especially the one that was just stopped in Marseille. I know that there is no way to predict these and I should not let that fear stop me from having a wonderful experience abroad so I have to put that fear in the back of my head. I am most excited to travel around Europe. We are fortunate enough to receive some days off for bank holidays and my friends and I have planned some trips for the long weekends to other places both in France and in other countries in Europe. We are planning on visiting Paris, Marseille, London, and Amsterdam at the moment. I think it is really important to experience as much as I can while I am abroad and I am so excited to see as many places as I can and try as many new things as possible and share my experiences with everyone!