I cannot believe that the four months in France have absolutely flown by! I’m back in Denver when it seems like not that long ago I was getting on a plane to head out on my next great adventure.

What an adventure it has been.

It doesn’t seem possible that I’ve done everything I have in the four short months I spent in Caen, but I couldn’t imagine doing anything different with my time there. Now that I’m home, I’ve had some time to think about my favorite memories of my time in Caen, and I wanted to share them all with you.

Going to the Beach

As a Colorado native, I obviously do not get the pleasure of going to the beach whenever I want. However, in Caen, I went frequently, and certainly more times in a month than I had in my previous 20 years of life combined.

Hello, History!

As a history major, I was constantly in awe of the incredible historical significance of the place I found myself. Over 50% of Caen was destroyed during WWII, but before that was a stronghold of William the Conqueror. Everywhere I went in Normandy, there was something famous historically. Mont Saint Michel, Bayeux, Caen, the various beaches of the invasion of Normandy (D-Day) which happened 70 years ago in 2014 – it was all incredible.

Vraiment Française

All of my classes were French, so I got a great handle on the language and culture of this amazing country. For a while, it was really awesome to pretend I was French. Every time someone asked me for directions in the street (en français), and I could help them, it was definitely an achievement!

Knowing Caen

Denver has been my home for 21 years. It was so rewarding to figure out another city – the transportation, layout, people, etc – and on top of that, have that city in another country! Caen really came to feel like home, which was one of the best feelings.

On top of that, I found one of my favorite places in France, Memoranda, a café and bookshop where I would spend hours pouring over books and pots of tea and apple crumbles with my awesome friends.

French Friends

I had an incredible host family who were so patient, funny, and kind, and who really helped me adjust to life in France. I met some amazing friends in my classes who I know will be my friends for a very, very long time.

I know I will miss France a lot over the coming months, especially readjusting to life in Denver and life at DU. These are some of the best memories I will have, and I know I will cherish them for a long time to come.

– Zoe, DUSA Blogger

Academic Programs International, Université de Caen, Basse-Normandie, France