La Rochelle has a lot of similarities to Charleston. It’s a small port city, like Charleston so it attracts a lot of tourists. Tourist season is mostly during the summer and spring because, like Charleston, the weather is temperamental in La Rochelle. It will rain at the drop of a hat and be bright and sunny five minutes later, which normally wouldn’t be worth mentioning. Except, of course, if your host family lives on the other side of town from the university and you have to walk or bike to classes…in other words, I’m advising future study abroad students to pack for rainy weather. Getting caught in the rain halfway to the university with no raingear? Not fun. I do not recommend. 

Packing probably was where I went most wrong during this whole trip. The problem, I now fully recognize, is that I wanted to be fully prepared for anything. I packed for all occasions. Multiple dresses  and pants; long-sleeves, short-sleeves, tank tops; a cardigan, blazer, jacket, and sweater; boots, sneakers, Keds, and Toms (to get through security more easily); not to mention, all the necessary undergarments and socks; then, all the toiletries I thought I would ever need for a semester long stay away from home. 

 I’m telling you, do not make my mistake. It was warm in La Rochelle during the fall trip for maybe the first three to four weeks making any dresses or shorts pretty much useless for the majority of the semester. Taking more than a pair or two of shoes is also a bad idea, I found out. Mostly because its so rainy during the fall months that any cloth shoes just get sopping wet and so are only added weight in your suitcase. I also hadn’t really thought it through taking an oversized, overstuffed suitcase with me to France. It was like I’d totally forgotten that I would be in France for four months…of course, you’re going to want to go shopping, for yourself or maybe getting a few holiday presents for your family. Bear that in mind when you pack your bag. Or don’t and end up having to do what I’m going to have to do- ship things home separately through the mail. This, I also do not recommend.  

Also, traveling with an oversized suitcase was really hard. Some of the train stations do not have elevators or escalators. So, keep that in mind if, like me, you pack a 70+ pound case, or even take more than one like some of the others in this semester’s program. Make sure that you’re able to lift them up the stairs on your own because, more than likely, that’s exactly what you’ll have to do.