The best four months of my life!

Last semester, in the fall of 2022, I had the amazing experience of studying abroad in Pau, France. I studied the French language as well as the history of art. All of my classes were conducted solely in French. My class contained students from all around the world and our common language was not English, but French. Being fully immersed in the French language and culture excelled my language skills and I now feel confident living in the country and speaking the language. In addition to my studies, I had the opportunity to visit countries I had not visited before. For example, my study abroad program arranged a trip to San Sebastian, Spain for the students. During our fall break, a few students and I organized a trip to Brussels and Amsterdam. Being able to travel around Europe while studying French as well as art history was a dream come true. I lived with an amazing host family that took me in as if I was truly a part of their family. This made the culture shock much easier to handle and gave me a sense of safety while living in a foreign country. Overall, this study abroad experience positively changed my life and has equipped me with skills I would not have acquired anywhere else.