Tag: France

What a Privilege

Published on by Marley FlanaganLeave a comment

What a privilege.

These are the words I’ve kept repeating to myself for the last month or so as I’ve been studying abroad, but it hasn’t always been what I’ve expected.

Ever since I knew I was going to college, I knew I was going to study abroad. Growing up I would sit in school and plan all my dream trips. I would dream of places like Spain, Italy, and Greece.

When it came to actually applying for study abroad I could not make a decision. Every place seemed like a fairytale come true and I fantasized about the life I planned to have my junior year. As I was looking through applications, I saw Aix-en-Provence. I had never learned French, I had never had any big dreams to go to France, and most of my knowledge about the country came from The Summer I Turned Pretty. But when I saw it, I knew I had to go.

I spent the next few months scrolling on Pinterest, listening to French music, and trying to learn French on Duolingo (easier said than done). I was so excited to get out of my comfort and enter a whole new country.

It’s safe to say I did leave my comfort zone, leaving for study abroad might’ve been the hardest thing I’ve done. Leaving Colorado left me with so many mixed emotions, it was so hard to leave my family and friends. As someone who has traveled all their life, when I landed in Marseille I was horrified to say the least. I was in a whole new country with no friends or family, and I couldn’t speak the language despite my duolingo attempts. I couldn’t help but think that I had made a mistake.

Although the first twenty four hours in Aix may have been the longest of my life, the weeks that followed were certainly the most magical. The first week of study abroad was a whirlwind of emotions and new experiences. I quickly met a fantastic group of friends and started traveling around France.

I’ll never forget my first “wow, I’m abroad” moment; it was my trip to Cassis. Cassis is a beautiful beach town in the South of France. My friends and I had a picnic with fresh fruit, pasta, and of course, a baguette. I will never forget this day. Seeing the ocean blue water, walking around the beautiful streets, and getting to fulfill my lifelong goal of swimming in the Mediterranean sea – all I could think about is what a privilege it was to be here in France.

As I’ve spent more time here in the South of France, I’ve come to truly love it. I’ve made such good friends, I’ve been learning how to draw, and I’m surprisingly getting much better at French. I have learned so many new things and I know that, despite my previous fears, I made the right choice.

Don’t get me wrong, studying abroad is still hard at times. I’ve struggled with my travel budget,  struggled with the language, and honestly I don’t think I’ll ever understand the public transportation system here. But what a privilege it is to struggle.

What a privilege it is to be scared, what a privilege it is to get out of my comfort zone, what a privilege it is to see the world, what a privilege!

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