Your year abroad is the perfect time to try out those yoga classes you have always been meaning to do, find a hidden talent for baking or love for German comedies (if possible…), and above all come back to Fourth Year even more cultured and sophisticated than when you left!
If I am quite honest, I don’t do much ‘proper’ work. As a language assistant, I have 12 hours a week teaching English; that is in the rare occasion that none of my lessons are cancelled – a little known fact is that the French’s favourite pastime is to go on strike.
As good as it sounds, having so much free time it can actually get a bit boring (yep, there are only so many days you can spend watching Downton Abbey in bed, only taking a break to go to the boulangerie for a croissant.) Therefore, I came up with a ‘Year Abroad Bucket List’ for my year abroad, as I really do want to arrive in Exeter as a Fourth Year as fluent as possible, with a decent knowledge of all things French.
Creating a relevant list before you head off to your destination abroad is an ideal way to make sure you get as much out of your time away as possible. Before you know it, your departure date will have crept up on you and you will be regretting not making the trip to that restaurant around the corner!
Here are a few things that I am aiming to achieve by the end of my year in Nice.
1. Eat like a local: –
That is, take 3 hour lunch breaks and lazily lounge outside in the sun sipping rosé, slowly eating my way through the Mediterranean-inspired three course lunch menu, then picking up a baguette and cheese for my evening meal. Yum.
2. Learn to ski: –
A mere hour and a half drive away from Nice are three ski resorts. A 4 Euro bus fare and student ski passes have given me an opportunity I can’t afford to miss. I am packed and off for my first session tomorrow, so excited!
3. Have a few French-only days: –
It’s the best way to improve your adoptive country’s language. Yes, I know I live in France but it is harder than it sounds. I live with my (English) boyfriend, the majority of my friends here are (English speaking) language assistants and the joys of Skype and Facebook don’t allow any escape from conversing in English every day!
4. Go to the theatre and understand French humour: –
The hardest part about learning a language is that jokes are often lost on you. A good test to see how well you have improved is to visit the theatre or cinema to watch a comedy and see if you understand everything. Although to tell the truth, with French humour you may not laugh as it is just not that funny, and not as a cause of misunderstanding.
5. Go to an open-air club: –
Living in one of the most glamorous places in Europe does have its perks. From April, when the rich and famous start to moor their yachts in nearby towns and villages, swanky cocktail bars and open-air clubs open on the beaches of Nice and Cannes, allowing lazy days celebrity spotting and sunning yourself whilst sipping a chilled glass of rosé.
6. Get a natural tan before April: –
Again, due to the Mediterranean climate, summer can start early!
7. Go to Paris!
Before my trip last November, even though I study French and have visited pretty much every other corner of France, Paris had unbelievably not been one of my destinations.
8. Frenchify my wardrobe: –
As a lover of Urban Outfitters and the more quirky side of Topshop, I wanted to subtly alter my style after finding a new love for Zara and clean lines and block colours. The current sales are really helping me to look the sophisticated Francophile I aim to be!
9. Learn to use slang and not sound like an idiot: –
The biggest learning curve language-wise has been the abundance of phrases and words that we are just not aware of as language students. Combined with an English accent and occasional grammatical mistakes, using French slang can just sound silly. However it is essential to use if you want to sound like a native. Perseverance!
10. Develop a wine palette: –
Each area of France, and indeed most southern European countries, have their own wine speciality. Rosé is in abundance in the Cote d’Azur. With prices at around 3.50 Euros for a middle-range bottle, there is no excuse not to develop your taste for wine.
11. Visit three countries in under an hour: –
Nice-Monaco-Ventimiglia, Italy. Get a taste of three cultural contrasts, all in less than one hour by train.
Photo credits: –
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