I am writing this article in 25 degree heat with the sun on my shoulder, sat outside a quaint little cafe down a windy cobbled street while sipping on a frothy coffee – the ideal way to spend a Saturday morning. This is Montpellier on the south west French coast of France and this diverse, exciting, ethnically rich city and home to over 80 000 students is where I have spent my year abroad. Having completed over seven months of a nine month internship here I think I am now in a position to give some honest advice/ tips to future linguists who will be spending their third year abroad.
Exeter is certainly very helpful when it comes to the daunting and seemingly impossible task of organising a year abroad, however they do give a rather sugar coated view of the year out. Furthermore this view is exaggerated by Facebook. From our Facebook photos we are all drinking cold rosé, eating croissants and on the beach every day. Admittedly we have done a fair bit of the above, but none of the difficulties that we have faced are addressed before departure or flagged up to future Erasmus students. Finding an apartment, making friends with French people, being comfortable with your ‘stage’ and dealing with French bureaucracy are not easy.
My third year has been amazing, so many new experiences and meeting such interesting people, however I cannot forget the struggles or few disasters that my friends or I have faced. So Her Campus have compiled some tips perfect for any linguist student embarking on their study abroad adventure.
1) Get off Facebook
This is much easier said than done, I like all my friends am always on Facebook. When arriving in a foreign country and knowing no one it can certainly be very lonely, Facebook will just heighten the isolation you are feeling. I went away recently for a weekend and was not ‘connected’ for three days, it was very refreshing, try it.
2) Travel
Making the most of the weekends while in Europe and try and visit as many places as possible. Initiatives like bla bla car, make weekend trips very easy and feasible. I have visited Barcelona, Toulouse, Grenoble, Bordeaux and Perigueux. For the Easter weekend I am embarking on an Italian adventure to Lake Como and Turin and then back through Switzerland. A surfing weekend has been organised in Biarritz in May.
3) Try not to live with Exeter students
Maybe it was a blessing in disguise; I didn’t have a choice of living with other Exeter students, due to changing my course in the summer, it is fair to say that I couldn’t have been less prepared for coming to this city. Nevertheless I have found living with other French students invaluable. Not only are the obvious advantages or practicing the language but also exploring the city with locals and also they know the best places to go!
4) Be prepared for things to go wrong
Every student who embarks on their year abroad will encounter obstacles which cannot be foreseen. When faced with adversity try to relax as you will not be alone in your setbacks. Some of the issues that my friends and I have faced have been waiting 7 weeks for a French bank account to open, having to move apartment, losing €1000 euros deposits or their jobs being nothing like the job description. Try to remember that this year is not supposed to be a breeze and problems are normal!
5) Say YES!
This is applicable to everything, whether this be weekends away, trying new food or different nights out. You may not have the same opportunities or freedom at your disposal for a while so make the most of it. The Erasmus grant that you are given is free money and is a considerable amount, use it to your advantage.
6) Be proactive about learning the language
Of course this year is about enjoying yourself, however crucially try to remember that unless you return to Exeter with a fairly good level of the language, final year will be tough! Surprisingly it is incredibly easy to spend a year in Montpellier without speaking a word of French. Undoubtedly there will be a large Erasmus group and the common language will be English, however I would recommend tandem language exchange, keeping vocab lists, listening to the radio in French and watching a few French films.
This article is not intended to put a negative spin on the year abroad but rather provide a realistic view of what to expect. We are so lucky to spend this year in another country and perhaps this is not appreciated until our final few months or maybe even after we have left. Personally with eight weeks to go, I am now completely settled and happy in France and I will leave with a heavy heart, the weather, the friends, the wine and the delicious pastries will be missed beaucoup. With nearly a year in another country, having made French friends and with a good command of the language, we are no longer regarded as tourists, and that is a special feeling.
Photo Credits: Authors Own and Buzzfeed France