Rachel’s Study Abroad Experience in France

Introduction

Hi! I’m Rachel, a 16-year-old student from Ireland. I went to France for three weeks after learning the language for four years in school. I wanted to study abroad because it was always a dream of mine that I never thought was possible, but I’m so glad it came true!

My First Impressions

I was really nervous about going to a new country and staying with a new family, but it was a lot easier because I had my friend with me, who was also doing the programme. We had organised the chaperone service with Tribe, where someone would pick us up, bring us to the train station, and show us where to go. The chaperone spoke to me in French. My biggest piece of advice is to throw yourself headfirst into the experience by speaking with the locals and your host family. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, and use Google Translate to fill in the blanks. As long as you’re talking and trying, you’re learning.

At first, I felt a bit nervous about meeting my host family because I wasn’t sure what to say or how to act around them. However, they quickly made me feel welcome and comfortable, and I soon began to relax and settle in. The study experience became a lot easier when I got to school. I met my host sister’s friends as well as everyone in my class, and I had a lot of fun with them. All the teachers were really nice and helped me with my French.

The best part of school was meeting other exchange students! I felt a lot closer to them because we knew what we were all going through without ever having to explain it. But it was also easy to compare myself to their experiences and language abilities and feel like I was coming up short. I just kept reminding myself that they are different from me, with different starting points, situations, and goals, and that if I am following someone else, I will always be one step behind.

Stepping Out of My Comfort Zone

It was hard, but it was also the best experience of my life. There are so many achievements I made, both big and small. One of the highlights of the trip was having dinner with my host family and the “grandparents” and seeing how much my French had improved. By the final week, I was finally able to understand most of what was going on at the table.

Mealtimes

A culture shock I had while there was the food. The French eat a lot more and a lot later in the evening than I was used to. We had fresh baguettes at every meal, which was a really nice part of experiencing French culture.