Hi! Or as the French say, Coucou! A month ago, I embarked on my year abroad in Paris, where I am studying at the Sorbonne Nouvelle. So this article includes various tips and culture shocks that I have experienced so far!
Starting university in a different country has been a very interesting experience to say the least, but so far I am really enjoying my Year Abroad and all the new experiences I’ve encountered.
EVERTHING TAKES AGES IN FRANCE. Whether it is setting up your French bank account or sorting out your timetable for the semester, (sadly I have to do the process all over again for the second semester!). I said goodbye to choosing my modules online, which is available in Durham. In France you have to queue up for HOURS to sign up for your classes. As an Erasmus student, I was even more confused and it took me ages to figure out what I was doing.
Obviously the idea of my year abroad is to become bilingual, but some of my lecturers speak so fast and therefore it’s so hard to understand what they’re saying! Additionally all my classes are seminars, rather than lectures, which are terrifying as you are sometimes randomly picked on to answer questions in front of a group of native French speakers.
Be prepared for a terrible timetable in France. Before this year, I thought I was unlucky if I had a 9am lecture, but in fact in France lectures can start at 8am and finish at 9pm at night. An evening lecture on a Friday is not the way to start the weekend!
My aim for the year is to become fluent in French, and at the moment I am definitely not!
I would definitely advise someone who’s going on their year abroad to live with someone who is a native speaker in the language you’re learning. I live with a French girl who is also studying in Paris. We get on so well, and as we speak in a mixture of French and English it’s a great way to improve my language skills! Being a native English speaker has its perks, but unfortunately most people in France speak English. People often want to practice their English, so sometimes you really have to be pushy in order to practice your French!
Also, as I’m living with a French girl, I am going to meet all of her French friends!
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Another culture shock is that on Sundays, almost all of the shops are closed! I learnt this after planning a Sunday shopping trip…
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Finally, I’m pretty sure I’ve been driving my Instagram followers crazy with my constant flow of photos of my new Parisian life, but it is of course necessary to take photos of the Eiffel Tower from every angle…
Bisous xxx
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