View from the summit and cross atop of Charmant Som
Author: Jacob Holmes | Majors: Industrial Engineering, French, German | Major: Summer 2023
Grenoble, France is situated in the middle of three large mountain ranges, (the Chartreuse, the Belledonne, and the Vercors) allowing the city to form in a triangle shaped valley in the middle of them all. Home to around 450,000 people in the metropolitan area, Grenoble is similar in population to the Northwest Arkansas metropolitan area; however, it is much denser due to the land limitations incurred by the mountains. The city is also known for hosting the Winter Olympic Games in 1968; demonstrating the importance of the regional mountains. This city was my home for a month this summer and allowed for me to fully be immersed in the French world in academics, life, and culture.
Academically, I had the goal of being able to speak French at a notably better level after this study abroad. I feel that I have accomplished this by participating actively in challenging coursework, engaging in interesting conversations with my host family, and making mistakes along the way that my teachers and host family graciously corrected. The two courses that I was enrolled in were a grammar course and a literature course at the advanced B2/C1 level on the Common European Framework of Reference for Language (CEFR). The grammar course focused on producing as much language as possible to reinforce minute grammatical concepts and ways of asserting opinions, expressing doubt, and stating information. The literature course was split into two parts. The first of which had a survey of literature and with a focus on creative writing, and the second was an introduction to the history of French literature. These literature courses proved to be the most challenging as they involved a level of analysis above which I had done with English literature, they were both very quickly paced, and not to mention but they were only taught in French. I really enjoyed all these courses because the teachers focused on teaching so that you could practice the language as much as possible. Whether it be writing, reading, or speaking. I was always engaged. These experiences will greatly benefit me with my endeavors, including studying French as a major, which I will be halfway through after this study abroad. Additionally, I plan to use French concurrently in my future career, working at an international engineering firm of some sort. One of which I hope to work for in the future is Airbus, based in Toulouse, France, with operations in Germany, Spain, and the United States; thus, I can easily see myself using what I have learned on this study abroad in work.
As for understanding French life, my wonderful host family took me on many hikes over weekends to various mountains in the region. I thoroughly enjoyed the views within the entrance to the Swiss Alps and the hours of conversation that I partook in with them. We trekked 5 hours on a hike to the top of la Grande Sure, 3 hours to the Lacs Robert on Chamrousse, and 2 hours to the summit of Charmant Som. From each of these views, I was able to see the rest of the mountains in the region, the city of Grenoble, the monastery of the Grand Chartreuse, and the Isère River. I cannot repeat this enough that the scenery on the hikes was like nothing I have ever seen. The region is rich with the history of these mountains, and that culture is preserved in the many museums in the city of Grenoble and the area. Some of these include the Museums of the Monastery and Caves of the Chartreuse, which detail the 900 years of history of the Chartreuse monks and their famous green liquor whose recipe has been kept secret for over 400 years. Additionally, there was the museum of the Resistance and the Deportation of Isère, which discusses the Isère region’s role in the French Resistance during World War II and the Deportation of Jews and other migrants at the time. Another museum that particularly held my fascination was the Museum of the Ancient Diocese. This museum describes the history and anthropology of the region from over 13,000 years ago to today. It is also situated on top of a historic baptistery. These few are just some of my favorites out of the at least 11 departmental museums in the city.
The French department at the University of Arkansas is a great program to be a part of. They hand select programs and make sure that they work well for students and listen to concerns that students have when there is trouble abroad. Thus, I would definitely recommend to study abroad with the French department at the University of Arkansas no matter the program. The professors truly care about your advancement in French as a language and as your plan of study. There are a couple things to note depending on the time of to prepare for a study abroad in France. I arrived and studied in Grenoble France during the hottest July on record: France does not do air conditioning. Make sure to take care of yourself, stay hydrated, get sunscreen, and reapply. It would also be beneficial to get a handheld fan of some sort for your time in France and prepare for humidity at times. Also, France does indeed have many mosquitos, and most windows do not have screens to keep out bugs. Another thing of note is that France has a culture of very set mealtimes: lunch is near 12-2 PM and dinner is around 8-10 PM. This rule generally applies to family dinners with host families and open hours for restaurants, most of which close their kitchens right at the 2:00 PM and open again around 7:30 PM. Mentally preparing for these specific differences will account for most discomfort on your trip to France and allow you to enjoy your time in a different culture.