The Experiment: France: Cultural Discovery

I liked the experience and the opportunity to go to France and see all the famous things I've always wanted to see. Like the Mona Lisa, Eiffel Tower, arc de Triomphe, and more! I even had my sweet 16 there and had a great time. Except I feel it could have been better if I was more informed by the leaders on the downsides like all the pickpocketing going on in Paris. Because of that, I became a victim of it and I got my phone stolen by a random person during the first few days of the trip while I went out to eat for lunch and I wasn't with the leaders. After that, the leaders and some of the kids tried their best to help but all they could do was report it to the police, they didn't do anything about it and I never got my phone back. The leaders helped me buy a temporary phone but still, It was a traumatizing experience and it spoiled my trip to the point, that I just wanted to go home but I couldn't. After that, I went to my homestay family with a lady I lived with for 10 days. She was alright but the whole time I felt like she didn't like me. After the 10 days ended I went to Switzerland it was beautiful and I loved the country but during that people started being weird. I was with a group of girls and a random guy came up to us and tried to take us to go out with him. Another kid got slapped in the face by a random guy while the leaders were there and everyone witnessed it and got scared. I started to have problems with the other students and they would just either ignore me or just be straight rude to me even though I was nice to everyone. So I didn't want to be in any group and just wanted to explore on my own but I got in trouble for that because when we are out in the country we have to be in a group of at least 3 because the leaders aren't always with us. On the last day, we were back in Paris and It was time to go to the fair and go souvenir shopping but the kids and leaders didn't want me in their group and a girl even yelled at me because I tried to go with her group. so I missed out on the fair and just stayed in the hotel room and cried because my experience was so bad. But then I texted the group chat we had and one of the leaders took me from the hotel and took me to go to a restaurant everyone was in and eat dinner and go souvenir shopping so I felt better. That was the trip for me and I loved the opportunity to see those countries and have by sweet 16 in Paris. but the experience itself could have been better.

Attending The Experiment trip gave me a good sense of the reality in a different country. I got to meet my groupmates, my host family, and even random people who became friends. My group mates were really good and fun. My host family was amazing. I got to see how the typical small town in France is and I met their family members. A big highlight of my trip was celebrating Bastille day with the whole town. Switzerland was very cool. Everything was expensive, but the town was very beautiful and right on the lake.

I was so lucky to be able to spend my summer in the beauty that is France. Leaving the country without anyone I knew was definitely scary but it was so rewarding. We got to see some of the most famous things in France such as the Eiffel Tower, the Mona Lisa, the Notre Dame, and the Arc de Triomphe. Seeing how the French lived their lives daily helped me adapt to the culture and although we did a lot of sightseeing we also got t experience the French life. We did this by shopping for our food in grocery stores or restaurants, navigating the Metro, and walking around and exploring. At first, it was scary but making friends made the experience more rewarding and fun. I would recommend applying for this program because it truly is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

At first I was so scared and nervous to go on this trip, but the people in my group changed that. The friends I made will be my friends forever, and the memories we created are unforgettable. Adjusting the French culture can be hard but since I wasn’t alone it was easier to with a bigger group of people. There was a lot of walking but sometimes you don’t feel it because your taking in everything, like views, and even the fact your in a whole new country with people you just met as a young highschool student.

I recently participated in The Experiments "France: Cultural Discovery" program for 22 days (July 2 to July 24), and it was one of the best experiences I've had. I got to experience how much more there is to the world and experience different countries norms. It was a little confusing at first but I eventually learned to adapt. I got to learn how to be independent in a foreign country and got to experience living with a French family for a week. Meeting other students on the trip was also nice, because we had each other to depend on. My personal favorite experience was when we went kayaking because it helped develop bonds in our group. During the trip, we also got to visit Freiburg, Germany and go swimming near the Black Forest. The only thing I could wish for was if the trip lasted a little longer.

This trip was one of the most amazing things I have ever taken part of and I would highly recommend for students who want to get out in the world. It is a good safe environment to be in and to still have fun! With the home stay in the south I was able to truly see what everyday life was like and I felt fully immersed in the culture. We also spent a lot of time with the group and got to create our own itineraries giving us more confidence in leader and planning skills. I hope many more kids get to have this experience and that they enjoy it as much as I did.

I had an amazing time while I was in France. My favorite part would 10 out of 10 be the home stay portion of my trip. I can’t thank the experiment enough for matching me with my amazing home stay family. My family took great care of me they made my happiness a priority. If I had any questions they would answer with out hesitation. One of the best things during my homestay was dinner. I loved when we would all sit around the table and talk about it day or compare our cultures and even after everyone was finished eating we still continued talking. I also appreciate The fact that my home stay family never pressured me into doing something I wasn’t comfortable with. With my family I had the opportunity to see France through their eyes and learn what their typical day was. If I could I would do it over and over again.

I know that the title of my post might seem like a stretch, but it's not. My Experiment experience was more than any thing that I could have imagined. I came back to America as a more confident, independent individual and I highly recommend that anyone and everyone should take part in this program. Not only did I learn about a totally new culture, I met the most incredible people and had the time of my life. Going on this trip showed me that I am capable of doing a lot and now I'm even more interesting in studying abroad in college. No matter which topic you chose, you will come home a different person.

Basically all I am trying to say is: GO ON THE TRIP!!!! I guarantee you that you will have the time of your life and will regret it if you do go.