Evie : "It's completely okay to hate parts of the experience (...) just like going to university at home!"
Evie went for an exchange semester to Avignon in the first post-Brexit year! Learn about her experience- the good and the bad! But most importantly, why she would recommend it to anyone!
Tell us a bit about yourself!
My name is Evie and I am in my third year studying Modern Languages at the University of Nottingham, and spent the Autumn semester studying French at the University of Avignon.
What decided you to study in France in the first place?
I decided to study French, because I always loved languages growing up, I always found the way languages all seemed to interconnect really interesting and French was my gateway into the world of linguistics since I studied it in school. When I finally decided to study languages at university, it was mostly because of the enthusiasm and encouragement from my teacher in Sixth form, who really got me interested in French by showing us more of the culture as well as just teaching us the language, and I knew I had to travel abroad
What has been the biggest challenge / the biggest surprise / culture shock whilst in France?
Going to France seemed like a perfect paradox. I was excited beyond imagine at being able to completely immerse myself in French culture, but I was absolutely terrified at the same time. If I could give any advice to anyone studying abroad, it’s that it’s completely okay to hate parts of the experience, and you can move past them and have a brilliant time while you are there despite the difficulties, just like going to university at home. Like many people my age, I had never travelled alone before until my semester abroad, but not only that, but traveling during a pandemic is insanely difficult to plan since you have no idea whether your plans are going to change or be cancelled last minute. An unpleasant side effect of Brexit is that I had to apply for a Visa, so I was completely on edge waiting for my passport to be returned in order to book my tickets to finally get over there. I recommend to everyone with a future study placement to check whether they need one and to apply with plenty of time before your placement for minimum stress.
What did you learn from your mobility in France / Did you keep any habit form your time there?
Even when I got there, I had some difficulties: Learning to share a room with a stranger for the first time; learning complex subjects in a different language; missing my family, friends and boyfriend; all while navigating a completely new education system and country. However, all of these struggles were made completely worthwhile by how much fun the entire adventure was. I eventually got to grips with studying in French and soon the tricky lectures were more a trial of writing everything down rather than trying in vain to understand a single sentence. But what made the experience truly bearable was my fantastic group of friends. I soon got along with my new roommate, who taught me all about Dutch culture and encouraged me every day to stay optimistic – and I thank her dearly for putting up with my horrific English cooking. The Italians, who outnumbered the rest of us (a mix of English, Dutch, Austrian and German), made me laugh every single day and tried (in vain) to teach me how to make a proper Aperol Spritz. Together we explored Provence every weekend, taking in the culture and the language as we went (and not to mention plates upon plates of delicious food), a welcome break at the end of every week spent pouring over French grammar revision notes. Missing the last bus from St Remy en Provence could have been worse – at least the taxi (which was too small for the 10 of us) came quickly and was fairly cheap. Cramped in to 8 seats made it an uncomfortable 45-minute ride, but we were headed home, tired and hungry as we were.
How did study in France change who you are as a person?
I have learned a lot from my experience in France. I think I’ve grown up a little - since coming home each new challenge is a little easier to deal with… or at the very least, I panic less and just get on with what needs to be done. I have made lifelong friends while there, improved my French in bounds and had a whale of a time in the process. On the downside, I can never find bread so good as I ate while there… even a chain bakery in France has better than the best I could find here, and no café will match the cosiness of ‘Mams’. I won’t miss Marseille Airport, or the walk from the Station to my apartment with my enormous suitcase, or freezing as ‘le Mistral’ blows past - but I gained fantastic memories, and if I could do it again, I definitely would!
