Week 1: Life in Rennes

Diving into a new culture with different norms and rules has undoubtedly been eye-opening so far. Adjusting to life in a different culture can be nerve-wracking, terrifying, and embarrassing, but I can say with certainty that it’s been the most exciting experience I’ve been through in my life. I certainly cannot wait for these next few weeks as my entrance into the French culture here in Rennes is only just beginning.

The first couple days of this program were challenging to say the least. It was difficult for me to comprehend that I was actually in another country all by myself. Gaining so much independence was very hard for me to grapple with, and the fact that I was surrounded by a whole new culture only worsened my feelings. Luckily, though, I quickly realized that the people around me would be the perfect support team to help me get through the “culture shock” I was experiencing.

Though our initial meeting was a bit awkward due to a mix of fatigue and shyness on my part, my host mom has been nothing short of spectacular. She’s kind, caring, and is always willing to help me when I’m unsure with my French. Moreover, I’ve loved meeting the other students on the trip as I’ve made some of the most wonderful friends who are just as excited to be a part of this program as I am. Similarly, the program leaders as well as my teacher in class have all been amazing and have helped me get through the leap from American culture to French culture.

As far as first impression go, this past week has proven to me that being part of this program will be quite a rewarding challenge. Class can get difficult sometimes because it can become hard to keep up with the language at such a fast speed, but I already know that I’ll grow so much as a French student as a result of this. Being part of this program also makes everything I’ve learned at school in the United States feel a lot more real. It’s one thing to know the isolated vocabulary words and use them in class, but it’s another thing entirely to have to use everything you’ve learned about the language in a real-life setting on a daily basis.

In summary, this past week, while definitely challenging, has only made me more excited for this program to continue!

Here's a picture of the street I'll be living throughout the duration of the program

Here's a picture of me and my friends at a local café (I'm on the right)

-Elena M.

'Global Navigator Voices' is a collection of blog articles and pictures by our very own high school study abroad participants. Follow their adventures before, during, and after their experiences abroad!