More Study Abroad Musings

Welcome back!

After a few weeks back on campus, I had the opportunity to assist with Marquette's Office of International Education Study Abroad Fair. My job was to talk to students interested in studying abroad in France and give them any information they might need about the different programs. It was great to get to see other people get excited about living in Paris, Lille or Lyon. For reference, here is a map of the major cities in France:

 I felt like volunteering at the study abroad fair was a way for me to give back and use my time abroad for a good cause. I love that Marquette makes it as easy as possible for students to be able to study abroad and experience cultures different from their own while still being able to stay on track academically. I realized when I was applying to go abroad that this would probably be the only time I could have an experience like that; spending half a year in a different country just wouldn't be as feasible or probable any time other than in college. Of course talking about my time in Paris also made me miss it even more. If you are a Marquette student and want to know more about study abroad programs, visit this site: http://www.mu.edu/abroad/

I really admire my friends who decided to do a full year abroad; while this wouldn't have worked with my school schedule, it would have been nice to stay in Paris longer. Not only could I have traveled more but I think I would have become much more immersed in the culture and would have been able to make more friends who were native Parisians and not just other American students. Paris had so much to offer and so much to explore than even in four months I feel like I barely scratched the surface of all it had to offer. And, getting to go to Italy and Austria wouldn't have been terrible either. I think more students should consider a one year program if they can so that they really can say they learned all about the culture and traditions of the country. Bonus: photos from my time in Amsterdam

Dreaming of Paris

Hi again!

When I decided to study abroad, I was told that culture shock when arriving would be normal. I was told French/Parisian customs and traditions would be very different and it may be difficult to adjust to the new setting, school and people. To be honest, I think I was prepared to the culture shock and when I arrived, the adjustment was much easier than expected. The excitement of actually achieving a dream of mine softened the blow of the changes; I was more excited to embrace the differences between the two cultures. For a brief summary of French customs follow this link: http://www.livescience.com/39149-french-culture.html

What I wasn't prepared for was the intense culture shock I felt when I returned to the States. In Paris, there was always something to do, and somewhere new to explore. Back home in a suburb of Chicago during the freezing winter, I spent most of my time home alone, stuck inside. It was great to see my family and friends but things just weren't the same.

I was worried that returning to school, where I lived in a sorority house filled with 30 girls, would be even more overwhelming. Thankfully, my sorority sisters welcomed me home with open arms, eager to hear about my adventures and were understanding when I wanted to be alone. Also, we had recruitment which meant so much time with my sisters: if you want to see a video from our Bid Day this year, follow this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGp3oOqQ5o0

I still miss Paris every day, but thankfully the transition has gotten easier with time. To any students thinking of studying abroad don't let the idea of culture shock keep you from having the study abroad experience because I wouldn't change my time in Paris for anything. Bonus: here's a photo of me in front of the Notre Dame cathedral.

An Introduction

Last semester I had the amazing opportunity to study abroad for four month in Paris. It's cliché but this been a dream of mine since I first saw a picture of the Eiffel Tower as a six year old learning greeting and colors in a kindergarten French lesson. That six year old stuck with French classes until she decided to minor in it and then later declare it as her second major, knowing that trying to master the language would only help her accomplish her dream of living in Paris. Not that I would consider myself fluent...

Thanks to the support of my parents, my advisers and my friends I pushed through my anxiety about leaving on another continent and went for it. I found a roommate, another Marquette student who became my lifeline in Paris, registered for classes and attempted to fit four months of outfits into a 50 pound suitcase. Not an easy task.

I'd always heard from other study abroad students that it was one of the best decisions they ever made and after having experienced it, I couldn't agree more. Escaping the college bubble and my Milwaukee comfort zone helped me grow into a more confident and adventurous person along with making me more culturally aware. Here's more information about why student should study abroad during college: http://www.vistawide.com/studyabroad/why_study_abroad.htm

After having such an amazing experience, rejoining the Marquette community and the college grind was anything but easy. I'll be continuing to post about my transition back to reality and my memories from abroad so stay tuned! Thanks for reading!

Also, enjoy this Buzzfeed post which includes an amazing video of Paris:
http://www.buzzfeed.com/briantron/paris-is-love#.ryKlOBoOn