My name is Kyleigh Petersen and I am a Senior in the Honors College at the College of Charleston. I am a Biology major and French minor with a desire to work in the field of medicine in the future. I am in the College of Charleston Faculty led program in La Rochelle, France. When I came to the College, I knew I wanted to travel to immerse myself in the French language and culture. My Freshman year, I poured my heart into an application for a week long study abroad course in Guadeloupe and became overjoyed when I was accepted. Guadeloupe enhanced my love for the French language and culture and my love of travel. Before leaving for Guadeloupe, I was nervous, but once we arrived, my host mother immediately invited me with open arms. I realized that my conversational mistakes taught me a useful lesson for communicating. I also learned a lot about myself. Traveling with strangers to a foreign place made me realize that putting myself in situations that I might not be comfortable in can turn out to be a beneficial experience. Not only was I able to connect with my peers, but I was able to connect with people abroad through our similarities and learn about our differences. My experiences abroad have inspired me to expand my gained skills through a semester long program in France. Before leaving for France, I did a lot of research on the culture, rules and regulations and what to bring. My goals were to learn the language, appreciate and understand the culture, and travel as much as possible. As a premed student, traveling is difficult to fit into a schedule but it is important to see and attempt to apprehend other cultures. I am excited to be a part of this program.