Image Credits: Reflections On My First Time Studying Abroad (Roxane Petit-Rasselle).jpeg
I don’t know why I expected France to be so similar to the United States, but as I walked through Vieux (old) Lyon — tired, jet lagged, ready to snap at everybody — I felt like I was on a completely different planet, looking at the ancient brick buildings that encompassed all the colors of the sunset. Cigarette smoke jettisoned into my face from every direction, there was fresh fruit being sold on every other street corner and I realized I had not studied my French nearly enough to understand a single person’s passing conversation. I thought I was going to end this trip a failure.
The program I was in was a month-long trip to France organized by the leader of the French department, Dr. Roxanne Petit-Rasselle, and NSSLHA advisor Dr. Patricia Swazey-Washington. We were to take a French class at the Catholic University of Lyon with other international students, living at a college dorm seven minutes from campus, getting to travel independently around the city and on the end of the trip, getting to leave the city on an independent excursion to wherever we pleased, as long as it was in France. We also went on various excursions to Menton, Monaco, Chamonix and Annecy, joined by university vice president Dr. Zebulun Davenport and Dr. Diane Darcengelo.
On this trip, I learned so much about myself, other people and the world. I met new friends and visited two and a half countries — Monaco doesn’t count, I argue to the wall — and ten cities. I saw a dance show at a Roman amphitheater, sprained my ankle on the second day (and had to get carried up to my room by my friend) and climbed up so many flights of stairs I almost went insane. My new priority is saving up enough money to go back, because I would do it all again, every time.
The best part about studying abroad wasn’t the studying, it was just being allowed to exist somewhere else. There is nothing like visiting another country. Watching the Pre-Alps pass by on the train to Menton, talking to people from Taiwan, Iran, Northern Ireland and gawping at the world below on the summit of Mont Blanc; I couldn’t fathom how big the world really was until I left my small, little bubble. Those small differences remind you where you really are; I couldn’t buy the medicine I wanted at the pharmacy, all plastic utensils were replaced with wooden ones, manga shops on every corner and sushi served warm instead of cold. Little differences between each regional culture could be seen in the way people carried themselves. In some cities it was normal to stare, in others it wasn’t. You knew how the environment was automatically, the tone announced by a person making a choice to speak English, French or Italian to you.
But it was definitely sight-seeing that got me as well, because everything you see is intertwined with the history of the place. As much as some people would moan and groan about having to learn history on a “vacation,” I loved exploring the history of the buildings, reading the plaques on the sides of them. Most buildings I saw were hundreds of years old, some even thousands. It’s so different from the United States, where no buildings go over 300 at most. We went up mountains and swam in the sea, and found places in Lyon we frequented so we could be like the locals. After being shown around, we knew the history of each area of the city. We could tell people whether this building was built in the Industrial Revolution or the Medieval Period, “And that, right there, used to be a swamp, and this was where a battle was fought during the French Revolution…” It’s hard to envision myself in the past, but being among the ghosts makes you feel like you’re truly affecting the present. I came back to the United States a smarter person, truly realizing how everything has context.
As much as I loved France more than the United States, I could definitely see the drawbacks of living there. A lot of places don’t have air conditioning. There’s a corrupt mayor tearing monuments down in Lyon. A lot of France isn’t ADA accessible. Some disabled people would never get to see certain monuments in France. The universe gave me grace by equipping me with the right body at the right time, others will never have that luxury. Problems in my home country were reflected across the river that Madame told us we couldn’t cross; there was a gang problem and that side of the city wasn’t safe. We wouldn’t get shot, but we would get knifed, Madame told us. My friend Niall told me about the anti-immigration laws being created in Europe, just like the United States. While being there I thought the grass wasn’t greener, but despite the drawbacks I would much rather be there than there.
The people you study abroad with are only a defining factor if you choose it to be. Most people on the trip decided that was what they preferred, doing everything together and only doing what most of the group wanted. We spent a lot of time together and I got to know all of them at least a little bit. At the end of the trip, we all rented an Airbnb in Nice for one last beach-filled hurrah. I think what I regret most about my trip is how I cared so much about what they thought. Most of the time, I did what I wanted anyway, but it’s crazy how I thought the arbitrary social rules were worthy of being taken seriously. It was my trip, not theirs. If you ever study abroad, know this: don’t be afraid to do things by yourself. You don’t always have to go along with the group, like what they like and all that. This is your trip, so you should make the decisions for yourself. On the other hand, you will always have to be a little bit responsible for those around you, making sure that no one is alone or in need of anything. You have to find a good balance.
Overall, studying abroad was the best decision, and it made for the best summer ever. I became a better person because of it, and I would recommend everybody to do the same. We aren’t meant to be isolated in one place; we’re meant to explore the world and learn about each other, whether it be across the border or across the sea.
“But doesn’t studying abroad cost a lot of money?” you may ask, looking at your empty, broken college student pocket. I do acknowledge that for many, studying abroad isn’t financially feasible. There are plenty of programs run by or connected to West Chester University that are in and out of your tax bracket. While some of the prices may be exorbitant (in my opinion), there are also a lot of scholarships and financial aid offered by these programs and most offer housing. For West Chester programs, it is fairly easy to obtain a study abroad scholarship because no one ever applies for them! One of my friends on the trip got a scholarship because — get this — he was the only one who applied. And for those who want a less costly program, there are a lot of short programs ranging a week or two. You can see the array of programs for yourself on the university’s website under Education Abroad! I highly encourage you to check it out, or you might miss out on a great opportunity!
Emily Rutz is a second-year English major with a French minor. ER1034711@wcupa.edu