Hosting Loved Ones in France

When my mom came during our winter break, we traveled together to Paris, Annecy, and Nice. It was a week full of slow mornings, long afternoons at coffee shops, and savoring French staples like fresh bread and creamy butter. Traveling with her gave me the opportunity to fully embrace the slower pace of life that I’ve come to love here. However, one challenge I didn’t expect was how tiring it would be to constantly switch between languages. Even though I’m taking B2-level classes, translating everything felt harder than just speaking in French all day. One of our funniest misadventures was getting completely lost in the maze of Châtelet station in Paris. We couldn’t figure out how to get to our train and ended up wandering around for what felt like forever. Despite the confusion, we laughed it off and made some great memories.

Later in the spring, my boyfriend visited me in Rennes. He flew directly into the city—which can be tricky to arrange but was so worth it. I was able to meet him at the airport and hand him a sandwich from my favorite bakery before letting him rest and fight off the jet lag. Since most places are closed on Sundays here, we happily used that as a built-in excuse to take it slow and relax.

We stayed in the center of Sainte-Anne, and thanks to how walkable Rennes is, he never even needed a metro pass. We loved spending our days exploring the city on foot, window shopping, and visiting Parc du Thabor multiple times to enjoy the spring flowers, quiet paths, and quirky bird enclosures. One afternoon, we did the most French thing imaginable: we bought sandwiches, fruit, and a bottle of wine, and had a picnic surrounded by blooming flowers. It was simple, lovely—and where he proposed.

I’ll admit, I wish I’d known about the eco-museum in Rennes because I think he would have loved it, but we were happy just soaking up the atmosphere of the city. I was also pleasantly surprised by how well he handled the language barrier. Locals were kind and patient, and he made an effort to try small phrases in French. Translation felt easier this time around, maybe because I’ve become more comfortable with the language.

Since it was his spring break, we leaned into a relaxed routine, with highlights like an English-speaking night at an Irish pub and a cozy engagement celebration my friends hosted with wine, cheese, and plenty of laughter.

We wrapped up the visit with a weekend in Paris, where I unfortunately battled a fever. Even so, he helped me power through to see Notre-Dame and Sacré-Cœur before I needed to rest. Luckily, I recovered just in time for a day at Disneyland Paris—which turned out to be a perfect fit since it gave us a break from traditional sightseeing.

Before heading home, I mustered enough energy to take him to the Eiffel Tower at night. Even in my pajamas, watching it sparkle together felt like the perfect end to the visit.

Sharing France with them made me realize how life-giving it is to bring a piece of home into this new chapter.

Ryann DYKSTRA

Hope College

CIEE-Rennes Liberal Arts Spring 2025