Author: aloughr2

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The World is Waiting For You

After my final night in Paris, my sister Kelly and I traveled by train under the English Channel to spend a couple of days in London–my first time in the UK! 

Moving from France to England felt like a soft transition back to the US since the UK capital felt like a mix of European culture and American lifestyle. In the city, there were still European stores, farmers’ markets galore, and centuries-old castles and churches that served as a consist remind of the Royal Empire’s power. But returning to the comfort of the English language and the presence of American fast food chains like Starbucks and Chipotle gave me a sense of being closer to the States. After a weekend with Les Miserables (the perfect capstone to my time in France), sight-seeing, and Wimbledon, it was time to head back home to the United States. I was excited to get back home and see my family and friends again, but I certainly felt like I was leaving behind one of the greatest summers of my life where I challenged myself, developed my French, met incredible people, and visited amazing sites. What a six weeks!

Since coming home from France, I’ve reflected primarily on the idea of language learning and the relationship between French and English. 

Language learning can unlock new experiences, and it can help you see the world differently at the most formative levels of language. 

By immersing myself in the French language, I pushed the boundaries of comfort and experienced a more true France; it wasn’t just a place to see, but a country to live in and (try to) become a part over my six weeks. Speaking French allowed me to interact with locals, avoid some difficult situations due to a language barrier, and learn to adapt to a country when you’re the tourist. 

Leaving France genuinely felt like I was leaving my newly formed French-speaking self there. 

Now back to English speaking, I also realized that there are very few things in French that are directly translated to English–subject usage, objects placements, quick phrasing and greetings, and most importantly verb usage. In France, I had to think carefully about what I wanted to say… working primarily to avoid thoughts in English with the verbs “to get” and “to happen.” The verbs simply do not exist in the same way in French, and they are such a common part of my American English vernacular in everyday speech that it was difficult to adjust at first. I learned to use “recevoir,” “passer,” and a variety of other subtly different verbs that don’t quite work the same way as in English. 

Visiting England, it felt like British England shared more (very subtle) similarities to French than American English–shared vocabulary like cinemas and toilettes, more precise verbs (ex. Not using “to get” as frequently), and even just the subtle “-re” ending of words. Noticing these differences made me understand languages are truly just a means to help people communicate and understand each other, and neighboring languages have an incredible impact on each other, especially in Europe. And as distance grows, it brings larger differences, for both the same languages and different ones. Now with this deeper understand, I just want to keep refining my French and start on the next language to keep discovering the world and its people!

With exceptional French improvement, incredible experiences, newfound friendships, and personal growth in confidence, fearlessness and maturity, this summer abroad was truly the experience of a lifetime. Thank you so much to the CSLC and SLA for amazing experience, and thank you for keeping up with this blog!

Merci beaucoup, passez une bonne journée, et vive la France!

A weekend in London! Featuring Tower Bridge, Buckingham Palace, and Wimbledon

La France me manque! I miss France!

Featuring (from top to bottom): Honfleur, Étretat, Le Château de Versailles, Amboise, Le Château de Chenonceau and Grounds (4 images), Tours Farmers’ Markets with Flowers, Bayeux Cathedral.

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Reconnaitre La Croissance… Recognizing the Growth

Le Coucher de Soleil sur Les Falaise d’Étretat symbolise la fin de mon séjour en France. The Sunset over the Cliffs of Étretat symbolize the end of my stay in France.

My final days in France! At the end of my fifth week in Tours, there was certainly a sense of change–the Institut’s “cours de semestre” of four weeks just ended, many friends that I made were leaving, and I had just moved into student housing. But the change brought excitement as well–my sister Kelly was traveling from the US to visit me and see my lifestyle in the heart of France!

Over the course of her séjour, we explored the charming sights and towns throughout Normandy–Etratat, Honfleur, Deauville, Bayeux, Omaha Beach, Mont St. Michel–my new hometown of Tours, and a last visit to Paris. 

During my sister’s visit, I realized just how seamlessly I have been able to adapt to living in France. As she pointed out places, monuments, people, or cultural behaviors that seem novel or unusually to her, I grasped just how comfortable I had become living in the European country. 

Culturally, I had adjust to the “French clock” without fail–long lunches, late dinners, afternoons for enjoying the weather and friends through day outings or resting at the park, nights at the Guinguette. I became a regular at some of my favorite restaurants and knew the best dishes or desserts to order (Nutella with Baguette for 2 € will always be the best!). And I immersed myself in the French interests like music (at La Fête de la Musique), soccer, and even cycling en route to les Chateaux. 

Linguistically, I actually learned and developed the skills to hold conversations in French:ordering in restaurants, situations at hotels, talking about costs, discussing billing or order details; I was especially proud of managing to get a free ticket to Mont St. Michel! I became calm and measured rather than panicked when listening and responding to native speakers–doing my best in confidence rather than embarrassment. I developed a stronger French vernacular, embraced a real French accent, and noticed the intricacies and common language of everyday speech by being able to now listen to other people. 

Wow! The growth didn’t hit me while I was in middle of my stay because I still felt inferior compared to native speakers. But taking my sister around France and leading the way with my language skills, I realized just how much I benefited from the past six weeks. 

Additionally, my final week in Tours brought me a newfound international community. Living in student accommodations with a smaller student population for my final week at L’Institut de Touraine, I met students from all over the world–Spain, UK, Sweden, and even Japan–and learned all about their lifestyle and culture back home and any differences in France. These encounters were the first time that my French language and French culture were what connected me to a group. Sure, interacting with French people allowed me to better understand French language and culture but I was seen as American (fairly enough). With the other international students, the French language and experience connected us, and I needed to tap into that newly fostered part of me to bond with them. 

This final week in France felt like the end of an era. Seeing many of the places, monuments, and restaurants that became home for me for the final time was certainly bittersweet–I have no idea of when, or if, I will see Tours or the Loire Valley again. While its difficult to leave now, it  means that I must continue to study French to make sure I return and make these places feel like home again!

Picking Up Kelly from the Tours Airport then immediately heading to Normandy to visit the Cliffs at Etretat, The American Cemetery at Omaha Beach, and Le Mont St. Michel over the weekend. Normandy was so great I had to visit it again! The American Cemetery is a must- visit for any American citizens… a truly powerful place to feel American pride even thousands of miles from home.

My Final Week in Tours! Showing off the city to Kelly (2 images), La Fete de la Musique takes over the city, a final week “pique-nique” with my classmates at the Institut, and a photo of the city on my final evening in Tours. À bientot, Tours!

My final night in France meant exploring Paris one final time! A return trip to my favorite crepêrie, a visit to the Pantheon, and a final nighttime walk past the Louvre, where my summer abroad started! A great full circle moment to reflect on my growth and experience.

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Don’t Let the Bed Bugs Bite! DIVE Reflection

Awkward situations are never fun, especially when communicating in the uncomfortableness and unfamiliarity of a foreign language. In considering an interaction to complete the DIVE exercise and reflect in a more objective lens a recent subjective experience, my mind immediately goes to moving out early from my hostess’ house. 

For context, while I was visiting Versailles for a weekend, I received a text message from my roommates that bed bugs were found in the apartment. Over text, we agreed that we had to move out of the house, yet none of us had told our hostess that we were leaving the house–that burden fell on me as the most comfortable French speaker of the group. Nobody likes difficult and confrontational situations, but I’m especially a person who avoids them. Usually, I’ll wait until someone speaks for me or just continue on and never say anything. But in this situation, it was all on me to take charge in the situation, state my intention to move out, and just deal with the awkwardness and walk out. 

When I returned to the house, our hostess–to my surprise–wasn’t home. I went upstairs to my room, quickly packed all my things, and prepared for how to tell my hostess that I–we–had to move out. I was paralyzed in my room and couldn’t move to tell her. But then suddenly, the conversation confronted me as she entered my room out of nowhere and saw all my bags packed up. I had to explain to her that with bed bugs found in the house, I needed to move out. 

With shocked eyes, and a tone of frustration and anger mixed with dejection, the old woman just kept repeating, “Pourquoi tu pars? Ton lit, c’est propre. Je comprends pas.” (“Why are you leaving? Your bed is clean. I don’t understand.” ) I’m still unsure if she was saying that to me or to herself. 

In the heat of the moment, with my stress levels boiling, I just grabbed my bags and had to get out; on the walk to my hotel for the night, I just kept thinking “she’s crazy.” In the moment, I had to compartmentalize and simplify the interaction to get through it. But with some days and reflection (aka DIVE) I developed a better understanding of her situation. 

As an older woman, my hostess welcomed us as international students into her house to meet people from around the world and gain some income without working. With our leaving, she was losing the people she cared for and hosted for a few weeks and the means of income for a bit of time.

Understanding the situation better brought some peace to me and means I can continue to move forward with my time in France, sure of my actions and the character of my hostess. 

Me exploring Le Chateau de Versailles (repping Notre Dame of course)– Just Hours Before Finding Out I Needed to Out of My House

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Give Me a Break! The French and Work

Now that I’ve fully adjusted to life in a new country after 10 days, I have been able to better notice the nuances between French and American culture, specifically in the realm of work. 

Based on the impression of my host mom and other interactions with my teachers and locals, the French see Americans as workaholics– always go-go-go, scrambling in work, big cities and skyscrapers offices, suits, etc. By contrast, Americans tend to often view French people as rather uninterested or unmotivated in work. As with most stereotypes and differences, the truth lies somewhere in the middle. 

During my time in France, I have realized that the French are not “lazy” in the workplace, but instead, efficient. The French people love their breaks–the people of Tours use their time away from work to relax in the Jardin des Prébendes, hang out with friends at the river Guinguette, bike on the Loire River, or grab a delicious dessert with their dinner.  Therefore, while they are at work, the French work well to complete their shift or objectives, and once the workday is over, it’s over. To me, it seems like a culture of “working for the evening” rather than the more American “working for the weekend.” 

Work is not their life, but instead a means to live their life. But they truly care about their work.

Just walking around Tours and visiting Bayeux in Normandy,  there are not the same number of large corporate stores and restaurants, but small and individual bistros, boulangeries, boutique hotels or small businesses. Even farmers’ markets spring up in parking lots every weekend! They care about their craft, and the French pour hours into producing products (especially food) that make their customers’ breaks that much more special. 

Maintenant, la pause pour moi!

Some of my favorite “breaks” I’ve had in France! (Top to Bottom)

Breaks in Tours– Biking along La Loire River; Visiting the Local Zoo; Bowling; and Visiting the Guinguette sur La Loire with my Classmates.

Breaks in Bordeaux: Shopping on the Rue Sainte-Catherine, the longest shopping street in all of Europe; Experience an Outdoor Weekend Market; Visiting the Park and Pushing the Carousel for children who wanted to ride!

Breaks in Bayeux: Watching the Champions League final at a pub with locals and visiting British. An awesome experience as a huge fan of European soccer!