Since I was young I have had the desire to live in France, so when I came to OSU I sought out what kind of study abroad programs were available.

My experience was challenging, growing, eye opening, exciting, scary, adventure filled, lonely, loving, failure, success, hard, and fun.

I lived with a host family the entire year, we lived in the oldest part of the city next to the 600 year old Cathedral- literally I had gargoyles for neighbors. Lyon is a city rich with culture and history, any Lyonnais young or old would be proud to tell you about it. I loved living in a place where everything held a very significant historical value yet was still being incorporated into everyday life instead of being set on display. It was as though I was able to have a true and intimate interaction with the events of the past, the buildings and sites were not just places I read about in a book and imagined being there, I was there unable to escape it if I tried.

Although I had been studying French for some years before I went, I took language classes for the first Semester that I was there. The classes were great because what I learned each day could then be directly applied to my life, being able to understand more and express myself better and more accurately. It was also a great opportunity to make friends from other countries who were also learning French at the same level as I. It was a fun challenge to get to know these individuals while we were both struggling to communicate and comprehend. I was able to learn a lot about their different cultures as well as learn how to explain my own.

Second semester I took direct exchange courses, meaning I took courses as though I were a French student, at some of the Universities. This was a chance to truly use all the languages skills I had spent the last five months learning. I was enthralled with the classes that I took, partially because the Universities offered courses in subjects that we may not even consider and because the classes are taught in the context of the French culture. This opened my eyes to how much culture really shapes our perceptions, in turn making it easier for me to look at the world more objectively. I consider objectivity to be an important tool in being a student of the world and also in learning to relate to and empathize with different ways of thinking and believing.

Leisure time in European culture is highly valued so time is set aside on a daily basis. This is evident in school schedules and family life where they take the time to relax, enjoy, and discuss the world. I also took of advantage of things like, Fall Break, Christmas break, Winter Break, Spring break, and every Monday off in May, by traveling to other parts of the country or to other countries which are ridiculously closer than Oregon is to most other states. The best example of this is one night I called my friend and on discovering that we had no plans or obligations for the next day decided to go to Switzerland for the day. At 6am we bought our $20 train tickets and at 8am we were in Geneva. We spent the day meandering the streets,drinking hot chocolate, and playing life size chess- we were back in Lyon for dinner at 7:30 that night.

I like that I was provided with opportunities and experiences above and beyond what I had expected both positively and negatively, but it was certainly through this that I was able to form a more inclusive and all encompassing view of the world. Going abroad has deepened my desire to obtain knowledge and to discover & experience other cultures as a way of understanding our culture as well as our global issues.

More than aiding my future I believe my experience abroad has changed and enhanced my future career goals. Most obviously I will be able to pursue employment opportunities in many different countries that require French speaking proficiency. Secondly I have furthered my skills in working with a diverse group of people and I have learned to adapt in every way to new and foreign settings, which are invaluable qualities to have in all disciplines.

Directly after college I hope to either work in an immersion school and/or travel and teach. Later in life I hope to open a school.

Take advantage! Use every moment to learn, grow, and discover, even if that is spending time alone to figure out yourself. The world is at your finger tips- be as much a part of it as you possibly can.