Back in the US and Post-Program Reflection

I am finally back in the United States after spending an unforgettable month in France, and without a doubt, I miss it already.  Everything: the food, my host family, the beautiful French language spoken from people's mouths, the clear blue waters juxtaposed to the hills saturated with quaint houses, the architecture...not to mention my Abbey Road friends and teachers!  I couldn't have thought of a better way to spend the summer in between high school and college than in this program and in France, and I was so blessed with the Chris Meyer scholarship and opportunity to go.  A month in a foreign country can really change you, as it did for me; you start to see the world from a different point of view, and you don’t believe everything you did before was “the right way.”  Now that I’m back in the United States, I see and do everything a little differently; I have brought back bits and pieces of France with me, and not just in terms of photos (although I did bring back 11 gigabytes of photos back..) or French goods.  


The day after I came back to the states, I went grocery shopping.  Standing in the huge, spacious grocery store, it hit me that okay, maybe America does everything bigger. Bigger houses, bigger grocery stores, bigger cars, longer showers…but is it really better? Going to France made me realize that, no, bigger is not necessarily better. Sure, a big house is nice and great for house parties, but it’s not the big house that makes you happy.  It’s long dinner conversations with family, a sense of coziness, and a sense of security. 


The sun shined every single day while I was in France, except one, and it definitely reflects how happy I was there.

As for the actual program, I thought it was great. The staff,  Fabien, Hélène, Sirine, Mary and Vanessa, were all really friendly and hard-working; after all, it was them that taught us, accompanied us to various cities, planned transportation from the train station to our respective homestay houses, etc.  I cannot thank them enough.  I thought it was an extra bonus that everyone there (except Mary) was native French who learned English as their second/third language.  For example, during conversation class with Sirine, I would learn so much more about the non-apparent differences between French and American culture, as did she, because we were Americans and she was native-born French.  Plus, their pronunciation was on-point, enabling me to better comprehend the French accent as well as speak it.  It was also helpful, however, to have Mary, a native American who specializes in French, because she was able to translate any French (in French tours, for example) for those who aren’t as proficient in French and because she was able to relate to us Americans and our habits. She was also really helpful in leading us around Paris and/or other French cities because she had taken history courses and had visited them before.

As for my French, I think I have improved immensely, and I am almost (if not already) fluent, thanks in part to my adherence to the “French-only” contract. I am able to carry conversations with my French family or people on the streets without any hesitation.  Before this program, never would I have believed I could approach any person on the street and ask questions or talk in French without worry.  I am able to understand everyday conversation, as well as most of what is said on the news; plus, I do not have to think in English before translating to French—the French comes automatically, with a few blips in vocabulary. Furthermore, I am proud to say that while in Paris, I picked up a couple days worth of Le Figaro, a French newspaper, and commenced reading the news in French. For the most part, I understand it, and can read more quickly than I did before.

My favorite activities were, without a doubt, parasailing, banana boating and snorkeling in France, just because they were so fun. And to be honest, I loved all of the weekend day-trips (to Nice, Monaco, St-Tropez, San Remo, etc.) because there was always something new to see and somewhere new to go, whether it’s the old village, the beach or  the shopping area. 

I’m going to end this reflection with my homestay experience.  The homestay experience was, without a doubt, the best part of this program, and I would not have chosen any other program if given the chance. The homestay was where I learned the most about French culture, improved the most my French, and was the happiest.  Through the two-hour long dinner/breakfast/lunch conversations with the Mulet’s, I got to understand the essence of being in a French family and how it operates. The French quirks, if you will.  And I would like to thank the Mulets with all my inexpressible gratitude. Thank you for talking with us, understanding us, cooking for us, doing our laundry…merci, merci, merci. Not enough merci’s I think. The Mulets will always remain my secondary family.

I don’t want to say goodbye to France, and I won’t, because I know I will be back. Somehow, I feel like France is such a good fit for me, and like a magnet, it will pull me back into its embraces. Who knows how soon?  Hopefully during college, either a semester or year or summer abroad. And although French is not necessarily related to my major or future career path (neuroscience/health and societies, medicine), I will continue to study and learn it because learning is not about learning for my job.  Learning it is about opening my mind and my horizons; it’s for my own pleasure…because I have fallen in love with the Côte d’Azur and all that France has to offer.

Paris!

So for the last few days, I've been in Paris with some kids from the Nice, St-Laurent and Aix-en-Provence program, and let's just say that it's been so cool, yet so tiring! Especially after a month in the Cote d'Azur.

I don't mind looking like and saying I'm a tourist in Paris. Because I am. Come on, it's my first time in Paris--I got to enjoy it that way.

Our hotel is right near the Eiffel Tower and really comfy; the first night, we went to a restaurant, Moulin Rouge (the cabaret after which the movie is named), Montmartre and Sacre Coeur. Montmartre is a hill and the highest point of Paris, so you can see the whole view of Paris from above; it's also the site of many artists who can draw your sketch in a few minutes...of course, famous artists like Monet and Picasso used to come here.

The next day, we headed to Musée d'Orsay, which houses a lot of art, and especially famous Impressionist paintings; I enjoyed it, especially in comparison to modern art. Afterwards we went to the Jardin de Luxembourg and took advantage of the last day of soldes (sales) in France before heading to another Parisien restaurant.

And today, we went to the Louvre (massive--and LOTS OF PEOPLE). Mona Lisa? Forget about it. It's tiny, and there's at least 500 people in between you and the smile. But I really enjoyed the Louvre and its artifacts and paintings, considering I've been studying of all of in history (Egyptians, Greeks, Renaissance, Napoleon, etc. etc.). As if walking around for 3 hours wasn't tiring enough, we also decided to head towards the gorgeous Opera and famous Galeries Lafayette (kind of like Bloomingdale's) filled with all kinds of chic brands and designers...but I kind of just plopped on the very top floor (my legs were exhausted).

Atop Galerie Lafayette

Guess where.

I introduce to you...the most photographed woman in the world.