Author: Adaley Rhea | Major: International Business | Semester: Summer 2025

Waterfall Hike in Grenoble with Rachel Holcomb, Ty McAndra, Arabella Ford, and Hadley Bowsher

This past summer, I had the incredible opportunity to study abroad for four weeks in the French Alps through the University of Arkansas French language program. This program took place in a city named Grenoble, which is located at the base of the French Alps. I was drawn to this program because of the chance to be fully immersed in the French language and culture. What made it even more exciting was the opportunity to live with a French host family while taking classes at a local French university. Living with my host family was honestly one of my favorite parts of the trip. It allowed me to see what the French language looks and sounds like outside of the classroom and how French families communicate with each other. It gave me the chance to hear and use vocabulary I had never learned before and to observe the differences between formal and informal French. You would be shocked how different French in the home is compared to the French we study in class! We attended French classes for four hours every day, and they were focused on improving our grammar, speaking, and writing skills. My class was made up of students from all over the world, and what brought us together was our shared use of the French language. Ithought it was so cool being able to communicate and build connections using a language that wasn’t native to any of us. On top of our daily classes, we also participated in community engagement projects. One of the most memorable ones was working in a local food truck. We got to serve customers and take orders in French, which was such a fun and challenging way to practice the language in a real-world setting. When we weren’t in class or volunteering, we were exploring the beautiful places nearby. Some of our adventures included day trips to the caves in the mountains, the stunning blue lakeof Annecy, and even a trip to the highest point in Europe—Mont Blanc in Chamonix. One of the moments that stands out the most to me was going to the top of Mont Blanc. It’s something I had dreamed about for so long, and getting to finally experience it was absolutely surreal. The view from the summit was breathtaking… literally! Being able to look out over miles and miles of the Alps was something I’ll never forget. When we stayed in Grenoble, we had the chance to really get to know the unique and eclectic city. Grenoble is full of artistic expression—down nearly every street you can find a mural painted by a world-renowned artist. One of my favorite experiences was celebrating the Fête de la Musique on June 21st. The entire city came alive with music. The streets were filled with people of all ages, and everywhere you turned, you heard something different. If you took ten steps to the left, you might hear warm and calming jazz, and on the next street over, a DJ was mixing the latest hits. This four-week program in Grenoble gave me the chance to fully immerse myself in the French language and culture. I gained so much more than just classroom knowledge—I learned how to travel, how to live with a new family, and how to truly appreciate and respect anotherculture. I ate the best food, listened to incredible music, and stood on the top of a mountain I had only ever seen in pictures. This trip changed my perspective, deepened my love for the French language, and reminded me how big and beautiful the world really is