Tag: study abroad

Finding Joy in the Unknown

Published on by Abigail HopperLeave a comment

“What seems to us as bitter trials are often blessings in disguise.” — Oscar Wilde

Though there have been regular moments of homesickness, exhaustion, and overwhelm, I can confidently say that most of my anxieties about coming abroad have been matched by the most rewarding experiences I could’ve hoped for. From scavenger hunts to picnics to a weekend trip to the beach, in just two weeks I’ve already begun to settle and make so many new connections. I decided to share some of the biggest fears that have arisen, and then the actual outcome below.

Fear #1: an unfamiliar environment

Outcome: In the past 14 days I have derived an incomparable amount of joy from the newness and charm of the environment around me. Every new corner is a new coffee shop, a new bar, a new park. And while exploring with others is fun, I’ve found that taking myself out to just walk for blocks and blocks and be able to go on a whim to anywhere I’d like has been so rewarding.

The second day of my arrival I walked about a mile and a half to a guitar store where I spoke “franglish” with a very kind owner, and was able to go home with a new guitar. Then the next day I was so anxious to ask for help in a grocery store, but was greeted with kindness and patience.

Each new place I’ve found, however uncomfortable, has brought a new fulfilling aspect to my day and I cannot wait to see what else Rennes has in store!

Fear #2: starting my program alone

Outcome: If I could go back and choose to attend a program with more of my peers from home, I would not. Not because I do not adore and miss my home friends, but I’ve found that from a group of 60 people who all are in the same boat and from 55 different countries, the most rewarding and surprising connections have arisen. There was a moment when around 30-40 of us were sitting around a huge table at La Bonne Nouvelle (a local bar) and there were dozens of conversations occurring between people from so many different places in the world, where I realized the magic of this program. I’ve watched open minds lead to agreements and opinion changes. I’ve seen connections between people who live on completely opposite sides of the earth, I’ve seen compassion. And I have never felt so quickly welcomed into a space. I truly believe that this is the best program I could’ve chosen.

Fear #3: speaking French

Outcome: In the days before my actual orientation, I was on my own exploring and hadn’t actually practiced speaking French since first semester of sophomore year, so I was definitely quite a bit rusty. And, as expected, conversational French is very different than grammar exercises and Duolingo prompts. However, to my surprise, I’ve been met with so much patience in practicing my French. In quick interactions I have had waiters not even bat an eye at my French or if they do switch to English they will return to French and allow me to continue practicing. I imagine the speed of a smaller city compared to Paris is more suitable for interactions like this, and there are also thousands of international students who come here annually and this has been very apparent in these interactions. Then, during my orientation, I had 3 full days of 8-5 intensive immersive language courses. By the end of the third day, though exhausted, I was understanding full classes which were conducted entirely in French and could already see growth in my pronunciation and vocabulary. Most of my classes this semester will be in English, but I’m incredibly excited to keep improving my French!

This upcoming week is my official first week of classes(eek!!) and this weekend a few of my new friends and I are planning a trip to Paris where I will get to see a few familiar faces 🙂

Thank you for reading!!

Mt. French Ridge Hut

Published on by MolayMediaBlogLeave a comment

Mt. aspiring national park • 1 august 2024 – 4 august 2024

The Department of Conservation (DOC) is a federal agency within the New Zealand Government. DOC has been one of the most impressive aspects of this country that I did not fully anticipate to find so intriguing. I believe that it’d be safe to say that New Zealand is globally recognized as being home to some of the greatest outdoor experiences the world has to offer. I’ve come to learn that DOC is one of the more important contributors to the prior mentioned outdoor experience. My favorite aspect of this experience is the hut system that has been created and maintained by DOC. There are over 900 established huts across both islands- they are so awesome! I have been able to stay at three so far. My favorite aspects have been the bunking rooms (with mattresses), the common areas (which have board games, puzzles, a documented history of everyone who has visited, kitchen facilities, etc…), and the remoteness of their locations. You truly can be in the middle of nowhere and there is a good chance that you may be near a hut.

The tramp

The tramping (multi-day hiking) began on Friday morning, but we arrived the night before at the trailhead. The trip was myself and two friends that I have met since being here, Reon and Isla (from New Zealand and Scotland respectively). The plan was to hike up to Mt. French Ridge Hut (1500m elev.) on Friday, then summit either Mt. French (2350m elev.) or Popes Nose (2700m elev.) on Saturday, and return home Sunday. This mountaineering trip was new to me, however it was considered entry level and did not involve any advanced technical skills, (climbing, self-rescue, avalanche safety equipment, etc…).

The south island’s mountainous regions got a large dumping of snow the weekend prior which made for some very tiring snow wading. The first 10 miles were fairly straightforward before the incline began, which was about 1.8 miles in total length but accounted for majority of the elevation gain (4800 ft in total). The dense bush (temperate rainforests) made for some great hike-climbing as there were a myriad of tree branches to use as leverage to manage the 35º-65º grade throughout. Without surprise the bush thinned the higher in elevation we reached and soon it was us versus the snow. To our advantage there was a group that broke some trail for us that stayed at the hut the night before, however it still made for unpredictable snow wading. Many false summits played mind games with my motivation but in due time we arrived! We did not proceed any further on Saturday due to snow conditions so we enjoyed a full day in the hut and returned back to the trailhead on Sunday.

THE HUT

We spent the entire day on Saturday working on a mystery jigsaw puzzle. Isla accounted for majority of the work as Reon and I did not summon the same motivation she was able to given there was no end guide. Many puzzle-goers that came before us left messages on the inside of the puzzle box lid and some were quite comical:

  • “15/2/14 6 people, 10+ hours, no pieces missing! WARNING, do not start this puzzle”
  • “2/12/16 4 girls, 6 hrs, 10% complete”
  • “11/12/15 20 hours, six men, 2 pieces missing”
  • “3/8/24 Isla, Reon & Luke, 4 pieces missing, 13 hours (+lunch break and lazy friends)”

It was a blue bird day which made for some great sunbathing. It was surreal sitting outside the hut in the middle of the backcountry in New Zealand. It was a very peaceful moment for the soul. After a day of fun chats and banter we began making dinner before we heard some voices in the distance, we had some friends join us for the evening! This was unexpected however it is part of the magic of New Zealand huts. It was bizarre to be sitting in the same room on the top of a mountain in the middle of Winter with people from all around the world. We played Monopoly Deal and enjoyed getting to know each other. The night before (Friday night) we ate in the dark only to look very foolish on Saturday night as our new friends figured out how to turn on the lights within several seconds of being in the hut- it made for a memorable group moment. We had a great time listening to music and conversing as the day came to a close. We returned to the car Sunday afternoon after hiking down and made it back to campus near sundown.

thoughts throughout the weekend

I will be transparent when I say I experienced some very new emotions during this trip. Given my lack of experience in the mountaineering world compounded by the massive snowstorm the weekend prior it produced real thoughts of fear that I have never felt. Being from Colorado I have enough understanding on the dangers of Avalanches and their damaging nature. We were without cell service for 70+ hours which is also the longest period of time that I have been disconnected from the world. We brought only enough food for our time on the mountain. The car location at the trailhead was also quite some distance from cell-reception. Because of things like this I was playing what-ifs the whole weekend. What if I make one wrong move? What if someone falls and injures themself? What if the car has a flat tire? And so on…

Navigating these constant and raw emotions throughout the entire weekend allowed for some deep self growth. Looking back on weekend’s like this has been fulfilling in unique ways. One of those ways is seeing quotes come to fruition from people like motivational speaker Les Brown that reads “If you put yourself in a position where you have to stretch outside your comfort zone, then you are forced to expand your consciousness.” It’s simple to read life advice from people who have more experience than you, but it is completely different to see it happening in real time yourself. Disconnecting myself from reality by hiking through the backcountry for multiple days while simultaneously feeling the weight of the what-if thoughts forced me to stretch beyond my comfort zone.

gratitude

I feel so grateful that I was able to go on an adventure like this. It was a beautiful experience and I would not have done it any differently if I could. Being able to witness the stars in their brightest form at night, or allowing the world around me to bring me to such a peaceful state of mind during the day. I’ve learned the power that nature can provide me in the form of soul-searching and self reflection. I have a much deeper understanding of how fear can (and will) operate in my life and I’m so thankful to have experiences like this that teach me perspective. Learning the technicalities are important, (knowing your physicality, proper gear usage, knowledge in the backcountry) but the more impactful learnings come from appreciating the deeper meanings behind the journey’s that life will take me through.

Thank you for reading! Photos/videos are linked below.