Category: France

Hard Choices

Published on by Abigail HopperLeave a comment

As study abroad has continued to speed by, I’ve found myself in a whirlwind of emotions and feelings about the whole experience. It seems like every time I blink I’ve been here another 2 weeks, and all of the trips that had been bucket list items for so long are finally coming to surpass. It has felt a bit like I’m living in a far off fairytale-esque world where there are no real implications to anything going on around me.

However, a lot of this came to a head while I stayed up through the night watching the election unfold back home. As a public policy student, I have a strong vested interest in U.S. politics. Both on a personal level and a professional scale, the outcome of the election feels like it will dictate a lot of my life over, at the very least, the next four years. As I sat up watching everything unfold on my tiny yellow couch, I knew that there was something I’ve been missing about being in France. Though international politics and French history are an interesting subject, there is a bit of my heart and so much passion that remains in my studies in the U.S. So, post election, I made a decision I had been sitting on since the beginning of my arrival here that I couldn’t quite pull the trigger on, and have shortened my stay from the year to just one semester.

In a way, making the decision to come home early has made this semester so much lighter. I’ve stopped worrying about my life plans so much and about the “real world” back home, because I know it will still be there when I get back. And knowing I’ll be back so soon has made me stop and take in every moment here. Since I made the decision, I’ve taken two trips and planned 4 more. My pain au chocolats taste a little better, and my room became a little cozier. I’ve been able to stop worrying about my abroad friends leaving and just enjoy them here, knowing soon I’ll be home too.

I would never say that I regret my initial decision to come for the year, and I would strongly encourage anyone to take the opportunity to do so if they’re able. However, for myself, I’m incredibly content with the experience I’ve had so far and am absolutely ecstatic for what I have coming up in my last few weeks here, and know that going back to Denver makes the most sense for me. Even so, Rennes has undoubtedly become another place I call home, and I will always look back fondly.

How to get out of quicksand, quick!

Published on by Abigail HopperLeave a comment

Last weekend, I had the opportunity to take a study break to visit the Mont St. Michel. I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect – once I heard it was the castle from Tangled I was already excited. I honestly originally was a bit hesitant to go – it was a school organized trip and I was quite exhausted from a busy week. But, despite the 6:30 am departure, I made it to the bus in time and we made our way!!

When we arrived, it was POURING down rain – which while it was somewhat of an aesthetic on its own, the mosquitos were not so welcoming. Our trip from the bus to MSM was full of a lot of haphazard swatting and fighting our umbrellas. However, eventually we made it to the front of the fortress and though I’m not generally an awe-stricken person, it was impossible not to stop in your tracks. I found it silly that my american-ized mind could only think to compare it to the infamous Disney Castle (which, fun fact, the “Tangled” castle concept did indeed come from the Mont St Michel). But it truly was incredible to see. As we walked up, the rain seemed to slow just in time for us to start meandering around the area. Naturally, we followed our noses to a crêpe restaurant – and while I was kind of expecting a tourist trap, that nutella crepe may have been the best I’ve had so far since being in France.

Bellies full and with a few more hours to spare, we headed up a series of staircases and went into the Abbey and the highest point of the fortress. We made our way through chapel halls and the views all the way around were incredible. Because of the unique tide patterns, all the eyes could see was miles and miles (or kilometers??) of sand and shallow waters – glorified by the thick fog and dense overcast.

After our excursion at the abbey, everyone gathered back together for a picnic and we split into two groups to take a “Quicksand Tour.” As we were given no further detail to the name and a suggestion of capri pants, I was unsure what to expect. But you could imagine it’s exactly as it sounds. We started our trek into what felt like very wet slippery clay, and were prompted with an explanation for the tides and then a, dare I say, quick explanation for how to avoid getting enveloped by the quicksand we would soon be knee deep in. Somehow the tour guide’s overwhelming confidence in us eliminated any worry I might have had regarding an impending Scooby Doo style death, and we started our trek. This IMO is where things really started to get fun. We spent the next two hours going through varying levels of quicksand and a few bits of just water – where we were able to run around and “accidentally” get our legs stuck. There were a few bits in particular that moved with the consistency of a thick slime and somehow in the moment that was the best bit. All of this we got to explore while getting a 360 view of the Mont St Michel and surrounding islands. It really was one of the coolest things I’ve experienced since arriving, and I would highly recommend the quick sand tour to anyone who has the chance to visit!

Post quick sand, we spent upwards of an hour trying to clean up and get the built up clay off our feet and clothes, but eventually got more crepes (naturally) and headed back to Rennes. The day ended up being a perfect combination of exploring as well as some quiet and peaceful moments, and it is a trip I cannot recommend enough to anyone else studying abroad!

Thanks for reading!! X