In what city & country is your study abroad program located?
Rennes, France
What is something you would like the blog readers to know about you that they wouldn’t know by just looking at you?
I would like readers to know that I love adventure, trying new things, and travelling to new and exciting cities and countries, but I also love to find hidden gems and experience local cultures in a city where I am planning to spend the year.
What is one thing that you are most anticipating about your study abroad experience?
I am most anticipating (and excited about) is travelling with other study abroad students and learning how to use my French in more of an academic setting.
Why did you decide to study abroad? or What inspired you to study abroad?
I decided to do study abroad because I wanted to have a new perspective of academia by experiencing a different country. I wanted to immerse myself in a different culture where there are people that come from all around the world.
A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to take a week away in Bordeaux in southern France. In all honesty, I really didn’t know much about the city other than the abundance of wineries. However, the trip ended up being one of my favorites abroad so far.
Firstly, this is the longest I’ve been able to spend in one location, as we had the week off of classes for All Saints Day. So, a few of my friends and I decided to plan a budget-friendly, lowkey stay in Bordeaux. We didn’t make too many plans going in, with the intent of kind of just following whatever we feel like doing. I think this trip structure really changed my perspective on traveling. I am generally someone who really enjoys planning trips down to the minute, making sure everything is figured out before traveling. However, I found that being able to make choices on a whim made for a way less stressful travel experience.
For example, my favorite day of the trip was when morning of, we decided to book a last minute wine tour at St. Emilion. We booked the trip at 10 and had to be at the meeting spot by 2. When we arrived for our tour, our group ended up being the only people who signed up that day, so we essentially got a private tour. It was also our guides very last tour of the season, so he was very excited and willing to answer all our questions. We took a car to a one of hundreds of vineyards and got a wine and cheese tasting – where I learned for the first time that people don’t just swirl their wine around in the glass for aesthetic effect. We got a gorgeous view of the vineyards as the sun started going down, and headed into the nearby town where we saw some gorgeous architecture and learned how the wine barrels are stored underground. Our tour guide even stayed an extra hour with us after the scheduled tour just showing up some of his favorite spots. All of which I would’ve never been able to plan in advance, and became my favorite day of the trip!
I also was able to really step out of the idea that every minute of a trip needs to be jam packed with sightseeing and experiences. A lot of this trip was spent soaking up the last bits of sun at the park, and “cafe-hopping,” drinking coffee and reading and chatting. And I look back at those moments just as fondly as I do the tours and grandeurs.
This trip also happened to fall on the week of Halloween, and after a thorough Google search, I found a “vampire ball” event Halloween night, with a loose description to come dressed as vampires and in the Halloween spirit. The event turned out to be SO fun. We dressed as “vampire princesses” (had to get a little creative with our thrift store costumes) and ended up having a blast. It was the perfect mix between lowkey but there were also performers and really good music.
Overall, I came out of the trip feeling refreshed, closer to my friends, and incredibly content. I love France!!
