Author Archives: sap5313

Life Lessons from my Time Abroad

I’ve been home from France for about a week now. Luckily, there were no more mishaps on the way home, and I landed here safe and sound. This past week I have been reflecting on my experiences and what all that I have learned I wasn’t sure how exactly I wanted to frame this last and final blog entry for this trip, but I knew that I wanted to explain all of the things in my life that had changed since I had embarked on this trip. So, here it goes…

1. Don’t set expectations.

Travelling to a foreign country is exciting. If you’re like me, you probably have a list about a mile long of all of the things that you want to do/see. Going into an experience such as this with sky-high expectations of glamorous weekend trips, perfect weather, and problem-less days is unrealistic. Instead, I would advise travelling or studying abroad with no expectations at all. By all means, make a list of the things that you would like to accomplish, but don’t hold yourself to it. This is one way to ensure that you will completely and fully enjoy your trip without trying to meet some sort of anticipated expectation.

2. Never underestimate the kindness of a stranger.

I know that we are raised our entire lives to never trust a stranger or to be weary of those around us. While I understand the precautions, and I feel that it is very important to interpret the people who you believe are trying to assist you, I also think it is important to evaluate the situation. There are very many friendly people out there who will go above and beyond for you. I had the pleasure of meeting another girl in London who turned out to make my horrible situation about 1000 times better than I had expected. Sometimes the help of a stranger can go a long way, and it never hurts to have another person on your side.

3. Stereotypes are meant to keep barriers up, not tear them down.

I’ve heard a lot of stereotypes about Europeans and the French in general. I’ve been told that they are all weird, rude, smelly, arrogant, and self-centered. I’ve been told that they try to manipulate tourists and they lie to you when giving you directions. While there might be some individuals out there who love to mess with tourists or who hate their existence, the majority of them are normal people just like you or I. Don’t allow the stereotypes that you’ve been told have an impact on the way that you see them. Stereotypes are meant to keep the barrier between cultures up, and what you should be intending to do when you visit a foreign country is to tear that barrier down.

4. Speak the language. As much as possible.

When you travel to another country to learn a language, the most important thing that you can do is to speak the language. A LOT. Speaking allows you to learn new vocabulary and to pick up on the same habits as the locals. Speaking as much as you can also allows you to commit the new things that you are learning to memory. Like I’ve been told a thousand times by my language teachers, if you don’t use it, you lose it.

5. Try new things.

New foods. New experiences, New language. New places. Don’t be afraid to try it all. After all, you’re not in a foreign country to have the same old experiences that you have at home. There are millions of new sights, sounds, and tastes to experience. It is important to take them all in to be able to receive the full foreign experience. So, go to a restaurant. Try the local cuisine. Speak the language. Try something that you’ve never done before. Visit somewhere a little off the beaten path. These types of chances don’t come along all that often, so embrace the opportunities that you have.

6. Forge relationships with the people around you.

I was lucky enough to be able to stay with a host family while I was abroad. This afforded me the perfect experience to get to know some of the locals. When I left, I made sure that I gave them my American contact information, so that we could keep in touch. Build as many relationships as what you can with anyone that you can. Meet other students. Hang out with locals. Chat with as many people as what you possibly can. Get to know your professors. Exchange contact information with as many people as possible. This is the experience of a lifetime, and networking/meeting new people should be an important part of it.

7. Don’t stress about the things at home.

I spent a lot of time stressing over the little things that were going on at home while I was away. Monetary issues, relationships at home, and worries about an internship for the fall plagued me the entire time that I was away. I did enjoy myself while I was in Europe, but I think I could have enjoyed myself a bit more if I wasn’t constantly worrying about what was going on in the U.S. Leave your problems at home. Enjoy the time that you have in a foreign country. Don’t let the things at home impact how you feel about the things that you are experiencing.

Most of all, though, enjoy yourself. There is no “right way” to have an experience abroad. Do the things that you want to do. Experience the things that are important to you. I had the experience of a lifetime, and I wouldn’t change anything about it. I learned so much about the culture and the language during my short time there. I didn’t get to see near all of the things that I wanted to, but I just attributed that to the universe telling me that it is absolutely necessary for me to go back a second time. I also learned a lot about myself. I found parts of myself and my personality that I never knew existed before. My time abroad was perfect to reflect on not only my view of the world and other countries, but also my view on myself and my life. I hope that you all enjoyed reading my entries, and I hope that I inspired those of you who have not studied abroad to do so.

Location: Altoona, PA

Bastille Day in Paris

The past few weeks, I’ve found myself thinking about home more and more. I think that it is normal. With just under two weeks left, I am stuck wondering what my life is going to look like when I get back to the states. However, this past weekend I had the chance to let all of that go. Myself and several other students from Penn State, one girl being the other geoblogger in Besan�on (I’m looking at you, Meaghan Basile!) spent the weekend in Paris. You might be thinking, so what? That is something that every student who studies in France does at some point. However, the thing that made this past weekend special was the fact that it was le 14 Juillet. Known to many Americans as Bastille Day, it is essentially the French version of independence day.

Before departing early Saturday morning, I had a lot of fears that the city would be full of tourists and that we would never get to do anything substantial. I was certainly surprised when I boarded my train Monday morning to come home.

We kicked off the trip by grabbing breakfast and heading straight to the Eiffel Tower. We decided to be economical and climb the tower to the second story and then take the elevator the rest of the way up. All I have to say is that I am glad that we did. It was amazing to stop at each of the landings and see myself getting higher and higher above the city of Paris. Plus, when we finally reached the second floor landing, the view was already incredible. You can only imagine our excitement to take the elevator the rest of the way up. However, due to it being close to lunchtime, the ticket office closed for almost an hour. Luckily, we were the first tourists in line for when it reopened, so we were able to continue our ascent pretty quickly.

After purchasing our tickets, we all became kind of nervous to get to the top. We climbed in the elevators and before we knew it, we were going up. While I am deathly afraid of heights, I somehow mustered up the courage to watch out the window as the people and buildings on the ground got smaller and smaller and smaller. After stepping off of that elevator and walking to the railing to see the view, I realized that it all was worth it. The view was absolutely breathtaking.

We spent the rest of the day exploring Paris. We saw the Madeline and the Arc de Triomphe, walked along the Champs Elys�e, and even ate in a real Parisian caf�. As I laid down for the night, I didn’t think that anything could top my first day in Paris. Little did I know that Saturday was just the beginning for me. We kicked off Bastille Day by attending the parade that runs along the Champs Elys�e that included armed forces, policemen, and firemen (both mounted and unmounted). Even the President of the Republic was there! It was unlike anything that I had ever seen. The uniformity was incredible. Watching hundreds of horses parade right on by me in perfect formation was astounding. It was unlike anything that I had ever seen.

After the parade was over, we wanted to get out of the area, so we opted to go grab lunch in the Latin Quarter. It was one of the best decisions that we made. The food was delicious, and it gave us a moment to regroup before embarking on an afternoon of sightseeing. We decided to visit the Pantheon since we were nearby which turned out to be one of my very favorite parts of the trip. It was a huge and architecturally beautiful building. However, the part that really astounded me was the crypt that lay beneath the building. There are many famous and extremely influential people buried in the crypts. Just a few of the many include Voltaire, Jean Jacques Rousseau, Marie Curie, and Victor Hugo.

We also visited Notre Dame (The line was too long to go inside, but it was worth the view.) and the lock bridge. I ate some of the best macaroons of my life this weekend as well. However, the highlight of the day was still yet to come. The finale of Bastille Day is the fireworks display that is launched from the Trocadero. All I can say is that it was fantastic. It was worth the three hours that we spent sitting and simply waiting for the display to start. (Believe it or not, there were people that were waiting longer than us!)

Although it was a crazy, crowded weekend, I wouldn’t have traded it for the world. This was officially my first time “in Paris” due to the circumstances that occurred at the beginning of my trip. I don’t think it could have gone any better. I think that Paris is one of those magical places that just put everything into perspective for you. While I was there, I couldn’t believe that I was standing on those streets. So much history has happened there. It felt surreal.

Location: Paris, France

Just Another Day…

When I signed up for this program, I knew that I was going to miss out on a number of things at home. I wasn’t going to be attending my family vacation. I wasn’t going to be able to take part in all of the summer traditions with my friends. I was going to be missing two holidays (Memorial Day and the Fourth of July). However, I don’t think that I realized how different that those days were going to feel for me while I was here.

Yesterday was the 4th of July. To Americans this means cookouts, hamburgers, hotdogs, American flag clothing, and fireworks. Many Europeans, however, don’t even know when this holiday takes place. It was bizarre to wake up at the same time as I always do and to head to class instead of to a family picnic. In my head, I knew that it was a special day back at home, but to everyone else around me, it was just a normal day. Many of my American classmates spent the day clad in red, white, and blue. Some of them wore various items of clothing with American flags on them. It was nice to see that all of them had banded together to make the most out of this holiday away from their families.

It was not until I sat down and really thought about it that I realized that this was my first official holiday away from home and away from my family. In a way, I was sad because I was missing the festivities and the quality time with my family. However, I think I was more proud of myself for being able to come here and to be on my own. It was definitely a rough day for everyone mentally, I think. I think we all felt a little homesick. After being here for a little over a month, I think that we all deserve to have that moment of homesickness. We all craved the typical American food that we were so accustomed to consuming on a holiday.

I have just under a month left in this beautiful country. There are a lot of things that I miss about home, but I know that I need to make the most out of these next few weeks. I might never get the chance to come back, and I know that the minute I board that plane to go home, I will be leaving a part of me here in Europe.

Location: Besançon, France

Six Cities in One Week!

I finally returned to Besan�on last night. Exhausted and starving, I was met at the train station by my host dad. We conversed happily and exchanged stories about the week that had past since we had last seen each other. When I returned to the house, I was amazed to find myself greeted by both the mother and the daughter who were overjoyed to see me. They gushed about the “color” that had now tinted my skin a shade or two darker thanks to the sun. They asked me about the things I saw, the people I met, and the friends with which I traveled. It was a bizarre but fantastic feeling to feel as if I were at home even though my true home is over 4,000 miles away.

This past week has been filled with frustration, fun, friends, photos, and breath-taking views. We began our journey in Dijon. As many of you might know, this was the birthplace of Dijon Mustard. So, out of tradition, I picked up a jar for my mom. Dijon is tiny, historic, and filled with old French architecture. We wandered through the streets, cameras in hand, snapping shots of churches, monuments, fountains, and other historical looking artifacts. I believe that on that day, I saw more churches that I have ever seen in my life.

However, although Dijon was the smallest of all of the places that we visited, I definitely think that we had a great deal of fun here. We arrived at the Hotel de Ville shortly after lunch, and there were many other tourists taking pictures in front of the building as well. As we waited patiently for our turn to take photos, a older Asian man approached one of the girls in our group and asked her to take a picture of him and his wife. She kindly accepted his request and snapped a photo of them standing in front of the large stone building. Then, much to our surprise, the man asked for the girl to be in a picture with him and his wife. He gestured for her to go join them. As she walked up to join them, he motioned for the rest of us to join in the photo as well. We all laughed, relishing in the humor of the moment and joined the three of them. Before we knew it, others that were in the same group of tourists as him were asking us to take pictures with them as well! It was one of the funniest and best remembered moments of the trip.

However, that was only just the beginning. Throughout this week long journey, we met so many interesting individuals from all over the world, and each of them brought something new and exciting to the group. We visited Lyon the next day, and it was beautiful. We met two friendly American girls who were studying at a university in the city, and we also chatted with a bartender at a pub who turned out to be from Arizona! It feels like such a small world when you meet people from the same country who are out traveling, seeing the world, and experiencing a new culture.

A few days later, we found ourselves in the south of France. The pictures do not do the place justice. It is far more beautiful than what I could have ever imagined or what anyone could have ever described to me. It was in Cannes that I tried a Kebab for the first time, and I fell in love with the clear blue water of the Mediterranean. We took a day out of our travels to visit the Iles de Lerins off the coast of France. We visited the island of Sainte Marguerite. Walking off of the boat, I had no idea what was in front of me. The island is a completely different atmosphere than the coast of France. It is heavily wooded with a strong scent of pine. There are trails all over the island and there is a large fort that once housed a prison. One of the things that I found the most interesting about the island was the fact that the man in the iron mask, one of France’s most infamous prisoners, was housed on the island for 11 years.

After Cannes, we also spent some time in Antibes before relaxing a few days in Nice. It was nice that a lot of the locals spoke English and there were more English speaking tourists than what I had imagined. It was beautiful, but I was more than grateful to see it all come to an end. I think the number one thing that I have learned is that, when traveling, it is not about the places that you go or the things that you see, but more often, it is about the company that you keep.

Location: Dijon, France; Lyon, France; Cannes, France; Nice, France

One Month Down!

Hi guys! Sorry for my lack of posts, but life has become pretty crazy now that my classes have picked up. I have about five hours of class a day, but little by little, I can feel my language comprehension skills improving!

Tomorrow will mark exactly one month of completed classes for me and the others studying here in Besan�on. I am so proud to be able to say that I have made it this far without any major mishaps. Throughout my first month here, I have met so many interesting people. My classmates and my fellow Penn Staters have all turned out to be some of the most interesting, wonderful, and kind-hearted individuals that I have ever met. There was also another group of students from Arkansas studying here with us, and tomorrow will be the last day in Besan�on for many of them. I am sad to see them go, but I am happy that I had the opportunity to meet them all.

Since tomorrow is the last day of class for the month of June, my two professors decided that our class would have a picnic today. We all were instructed to bring something to share with the rest of the class. When we all arrived at the park for lunch, everyone opened up their bags and the food poured out. I don’t think I have ever consumed so much bread and cheese in my life. We enjoyed regional cheeses, baguettes, crepes, chocolate chip cookies, pain au chocolat, and cake. To end the picnic, one of the students had brought along his guitar and the group listened to him play as several other students sung along. It felt so good to be able to sit there in that circle with my classmates who are all from different schools, backgrounds, ethnic groups and to enjoy a nice lunch on the grass after a month of hard work.

After only a month in France, I am finding myself more and more able to comprehend the conversations and the situations that are going on around me. Living with a host family has been one of the greatest and most fulfilling experiences of my life. For the month of June, there have been three other students living with me. There is a Japanese girl. She is extremely kind. She helped to show me the ropes the first few weeks that I was here, and she is always eager to converse with me. She speaks a bit of English as well as French, so it is convenient if I am ever having issues translating my thoughts. There are two guys living here as well. They are both Libyan, and they might be two of the most amusing people that I have ever met. It certainly has made for lively dinner conversation. I love being able to converse with the family, even about the simplest of concepts. It has been one of the most gratifying experiences to go from uncertainty to be able to hold a simple conversation with someone who is completely fluent in the language.

While I am extremely happy that the first month is over, I also cannot wait to see all of the new things that I will learn in the coming weeks. We have a week break from classes, and I am going to spend my time travelling with several other Penn State students. We are travelling to Dijon, Lyon, Nice, Cannes, and Monte Carlo!

Location: Besançon, France

Stranded in London

The past five days have come with a ridiculous number of emotions. I flew out of the United States for the first time in my life on the 23rd of May. As I parted from my mother, my sister, and my boyfriend and headed toward the security check, I came to the realization that I was going to be alone, without supervision for the first time in my life.

As we were getting ready to land at the London Heathrow airport, the pilot came on to make the routine announcements. Then, he explains that our connecting flight to Paris had been cancelled, and the airline would accommodate us the best that they could for rebooking. It was then around noon. I assumed that there would be plenty more flights to be taken for the rest of the day. As I walked briskly to the flight connections desk, I hoped that there was not a long line as there were also quite a large number of others on that very same plane going to Paris as well. As I stepped off of the escalator, I realized that the line for rebooking was hours long. Apparently the entire airport was shut down for six hours as there was an incident that caused a plane to have to land there.

Luckily, a girl in line behind me saw me in a panic, and she attempted to reassure me that it was all going to be fine. However, as we watched the situation escalate as more and more people entered the queue, we decided to take matters into our own hands. She called about a dozen numbers as she chatted with her mom, friends who lived in England, and her friends in Paris. I was amazed by how quickly that she worked. We decided to try to take the eurostar train to Paris. After making it through the passport check, we sprinted to find our luggage. However, the situation looked a lot like this. The airport had taken every piece of luggage that was on any of the domestic European flights off of their planes and placed them in the baggage claim area. They were organized by flight number and destination, however, it was impossible to decipher which pile belonged to which flight. After about two hours we found our bags.

The situation caused me to have to take a mini detour to the village of Datchet, England (an annex of England where our hotel was located). However, I see this situation as both a blessing and a curse. Of course, any time that plans are cancelled and you are forced to adapt, it is extremely stressful. However, I think that I made the best that I could out of the situation. I met a new friend. I got to see a part of England that I never would have known existed if my flight had not been canceled. I also got the chance to experience many different forms of transportation throughout my journey that I might not ever get to see again.

I, of course, was lucky. I don’t know what I would have done if I hadn’t met that wonderful girl in the airport who decided to take me under my wing. However, I think a lot of important lessons can be learned from this situation. First, never underestimate the kindness of a complete and total stranger. Sometimes they can and WILL surprise you. Who knows? You might even end up gaining a great friendship out of it. Also, while we were struggling with toting our heavy bags all over the UK, there were a ton of helpful strangers. Young men dressed in their attire for a football match carried our bags down the steps to the metro. The kind strangers at the pub in which we ate dinner told us some of the local sites to visit. Everywhere we went, it seemed that complete strangers were completely willing to not only help us but to go the extra mile for us. Second, always have a back up plan. There is no way to tell when things such as this are going to happen. As unfortunate as what they are, if you have the information and the contacts to be able to formulate an alternative route at a moment’s notice, you will be eternally grateful. Third, take the time to stop and smell the roses. Even if you are stranded somewhere, make the experience worthwhile. Looking back on it, you will be grateful.

Thankfully, I am now safe in Besan�on with my host family! I can’t wait to see where the remainder of this trip takes me.

Location: Heathrow Airport, London, England

Five Days ‘Til Liftoff

With five days left until I board a plane and make my way to France, I have had a lot on my mind. Will my French be good enough? Will I get lost at the airport? What if my bag just disappears? Will my host family hate me? While all of these have been thoughts that have crossed my mind, I think that my excitement for the opportunity to experience a new culture trumps all of those concerns.

When I applied to the French Language Studies Program in Besan�on, France, most people assumed that I was looking for a chance to spend two months in a foreign country eating croissants and drinking copious amounts of wine. While this might be what some are looking for when they travel, that type of life is not for me. My time in Europe will be spent exploring, sightseeing, and learning. I hope to return more fluent in the language that captured my heart than when I boarded that initial flight. I hope to embrace a foreign country and people. I hope to make lifelong friends and to forge a bond with my host family that will cross international borders.

During my stay in France, I will be living with a host family. About a month ago now, I received my host family assignment. It is an older couple with six children. They seem like they will be an excellent fit for me, and I have since communicated with them via e-mail. Sharing their home will hopefully allow me to become fully immersed and to learn even more about the culture than if I were simply spending my time on my own with other students.

Source: “France.” 46�43’58.62″ N and 1�34’12.99″ E. Google Earth. December 31, 1999. May 18, 2013.

The best way to describe my feelings towards leaving my home and all that I know for a completely new experience is a mixture of anxiety, excitement, and curiosity. In five days, I will be taking all that I need and moving 4,000 miles away from my family, my friends, and all that is familiar to me. When I think about it, my stomach ends up all tied in knots, but I am also ecstatic. I can’t wait for the moment that I get to meet my host family. I can’t wait to become immersed in the language that I fell in love with when I was fifteen.

My name is Sabrina Peterman. I am currently a junior at Penn State. I am living my dream of spending my summer studying language in Besan�on, France. I hope to share with you all of the anxiety, excitement, and new experiences that I have throughout my time abroad.