Most Tulane students who study abroad in France have probably noticed that there aren’t very many of us. There are nine Freeman programs in France, but usually only a handful of people actually decide to go. The idea of letting go of all familiarity can definitely be frightening, but I would argue that it has completely shaped my experience abroad.
I’ve never been the type to avoid going off on my own. When I came to Tulane, only two other people from my high school had ever gone (shout out to my Kirkwood girls, Madison and Bridget!!). Upon my arrival at Tulane, I found that I quickly connected to the Tulane culture because I had no other group to fall back on. So when I was deciding on my study abroad program, it was only natural that I believed the best way to connect with the French culture was to go off on my own again.
I won’t lie, it was intimidating at first. All of my initial interactions were with French people, so there was of course a communication barrier, and oftentimes I tried to figure out my own problems because I shied away from asking — really only because of the language barrier. For example, when I moved into my residence, I remember the administrator who gave me a tour mentioning something (in French) about paying for my electricity. I had already told her so many times that I didn’t understand something she said, so I didn’t ask for clarification. Well, apparently I was supposed to call a company to pay for my electricity, but I didn’t, and currently my electricity is shut off. Oops.
After my first week in Rouen, however, I really found a community here. A big part of this was meeting other international students in my classes and attending social events alone (scary, I know, but worth it). NEOMA has a robust association of French students, called Culture Connection, who put on events all the time. It was weird to show up to a bar alone, but it turned out that everyone at these events was also a little scared and just as eager to make friends. I made quick bonds with so many people this way, and it was so great to know that I was far from the only one going through all the challenges and joys of studying abroad alone.
I firmly believe that studying abroad alone is a very different experience from going with friends (neither better nor worse, but definitely different), and I don’t regret my decision for one moment. It has forced me to practice my French, it has put me in situations I wouldn’t have otherwise been, but most of all, it has led me to amazing friendships with people from all over the world.
Ava Godsy (BSM ’21) is a double major in management and sociology. She is studying abroad at NEOMA Business School in Rouen, France for the spring 2020 semester.
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