Visiting the Louvre
Author: Meghan McClure | Major: International Business
This summer, I travelled to Perpignan, France in what I could only call a spur of the moment decision. I applied for the program right before the deadline, not thinking very much of it. I knew no one on the program, I had little confidence in my French skills, and I did not even know what Perpignan was. I chose this program because I have been taking French for about six years but had not had the chance to fully immerse myself in it yet. As an international business major, I am required to study abroad for my degree, and since my minor is in French, this program was perfect for me. I want to continue with French even after graduating in my careers, so I thought that this immersion would be extremely beneficial to me in my professional goals too.
The transition was immediate upon arriving in France, and this is when I finally understood the term “culture shock.” My host family was there to greet me immediately after I got off the bus, and as soon as we met, the only words spoken were in French. I was overwhelmed and nervous, and those first few minutes I felt like I had been thrown into fire, but my host family was supportive of me learning and growing from the very start. When I got to my host family’s house that night, I was so tired that I promptly fell asleep in my new home.
The day after we landed in France, classes began. We started each morning in a completely immersive four-hour course. Each day was something different, with new professors and new materials being taught – and all of it was in French. The experience of immersive learning was completely different than anything I had done before, and even when we were learning something I thought I knew, I found myself learning more than I had in the past. Adding that to only speaking French with my host family, and my speaking and listening skills improved drastically. I genuinely think I grew more in my four weeks in France than I have in the past few years, and that’s all thanks to the total immersion that this program allowed.
After class each day there was an excursion we could take, ranging from beaches to medieval castles to the city of Barcelona, these excursions were a highlight of this program. Each day was something new and different, and I think I saw more beaches than I have in my entire life. Some of us also took a small trip to Paris for Bastille Day, which coincidentally took place during the four weeks we were in France. It was an experience like no other: seeing the Louvre, walking the Paris streets, watching the fireworks at the Eiffel Tower, and so much more all within a couple of days. It was truly something I would live over and over again if I could. Back in Perpignan, we found favorite places that we would visit after our excursions and made friends there with workers and locals alike. We played hide-and-seek in a massive medieval castle. We went wine tasting. We made a massive charcuterie board. In the end, Perpignan became almost a home away from home, all in four short weeks.
Studying abroad is scary and intimidating. The days leading up to it, I can honestly say the main feeling I had was dread. I had no idea what to expect and no idea what I would do for four weeks. But now that I have done it, I can confidently say studying abroad is one of the best decisions I have ever made. So many people say their study abroad was life-changing, but they say it because its true. I will look back fondly on the memories I made and the people I met, not to mention I am now addicted to chocolate croissants. I am truly so grateful for the opportunity I had to study abroad, and I could not recommend it enough to someone who is debating going. The connections and memories I made were well worth everything I was worried about before, and I would do it again in a heartbeat.