Encore une fois, bonjour à tous! Before departing for France with this program at the College of Charleston, professors and students will tell you to be prepared for certain emotions you might experience. There’s the honeymoon phase, the cultural shock, and homesickness; maybe not specifically in that order nor just once! But I’ve been here for three months already and feel like I am forever in my honeymoon phase with…
I am living in a small city in the central west coast of France called La Rochelle. In my opinion, it is more authentic to the french culture than the major touristy cities like Paris. The locals are extremely nice and encouraging about learning their language. In this city it is very relaxed and the locals love to help me with my pronunciation and comprehension. I have connected with a…
I’m still in awe. I’ve officially been back in the States for two weeks now and already my time in France feels like a lifetime ago. For my last blog post I want to reflect on my semester spent with my host family and how that shaped my abroad experience. To start, I was extremely nervous about living in another country for an entire semester (this was my first time…
Encore une fois, bonjour à tous! Let’s discover this amazing city in France called NANTES! Oh la vache, Nantes is by far my favorite city in France. People talk about Paris, Bordeaux, or Nice all the time. But what about Nantes? Let me persuade you to visit and fall in love with this culturally stimulating city. First off, Nantes is the most tourist-friendly city in France that I have visited…
My name is Hannah Jones and I am a senior at the College. I am majoring in International Studies and my minor is the French language and Francophone Studies. I chose the College of Charleston Faculty-led program at La Rochelle, France and I am taking classes at La Rochelle Université. I chose this program because I am studying the french language and would like to become bilingual. I also would…
Per CofC requirement, my Sophomore year I was in an Honors Western Civilization course. I remember being in the Wells Fargo auditorium at 8am being intrigued by the topic of the day, Vlad the Impaler or otherwise known as Dracula. Before traveling abroad, it was my goal to travel often and explore other countries, as well as my host country. My friends and I made a list of places we…
In the beginning I wasn’t entirely sure I wanted to study abroad. I found the idea incredibly intimidating. I waffled back and forth on the subject for a full semester. The final straw, what finally decided me into going, was a presentation I had to give in a Francophone literature class. After stuttering and stammering through that presentation, I was more than a little disappointed with myself. I knew the…
My name is Allison Carey. I’m a senior at the College of Charleston studying French language education. The plan for after graduation is to be a French teacher (I know, you’d have never guessed with a major like that, right?). Anyway, I chose to study abroad in La Rochelle, France. I spent a few years on and off learning the language in the classroom setting. Always studying out of textbooks…
Bonjour à tous! Welcome to my semester abroad in France. My name is Jamie Jacobs, and I am a junior currently double majoring in Communication and French and Francophone Studies. This opportunity was possible thanks to the program AFAR (Association des Familles d’accueil rochelaises) which includes the host families that happily house and take care of us as well as the University of La Rochelle. As a student going through…
Bonjour à tous! My name is Kathleen Trainor and I’m currently studying abroad in La Rochelle, France. As I look back on the calendar, it turns out I’ve already spent a month in France! I no longer feel like I’m constantly adjusting to the French culture and it seems like I am a part of the natural flow. Each day it’s easier to speak with the locals and add in…
