I can confidently say adapting to my new life in Bordeaux has been fairly easy. I’m appreciative of this journey that will form my overall higher education objectives.
The first week of school already seems like it was such a long time ago, meeting other University of California students in the program and making friends. Although the overjoying and overwhelming feeling of living in an unfamiliar place is still present, I’ve become accustomed to my daily routine here. I used to ponder what my second quarter at my home institution would’ve been like if I didn’t study abroad? I no longer need to wonder, this is by far the best decision I’ve made. I cherish the connections and friendships I’ve made so far with other Californians, my homestay parents and other French students. I’ve established a wider network because of this program. Living in Bordeaux has been very beneficial, simply having the opportunity to be observant and embrace some social and cultural differences is such a rewarding experience.
There were some adjustments I had to make in my routines, such as laundry. I was accustomed to throwing my clothes in the dryer as soon as they came out of the washer. Now instead of utilizing a dryer I’ve learned to hang up my clothes to dry. Although it’s a longer process it is still efficient and it’s better on the environment. Another new habit I’ve incorporated into my daily routine is relying on Public transportation. I’m dependent on public transportation to go anywhere around the city and I love it! It’s a great way to discover, explore and really immerse into a whole new city. It also gives me the opportunity to practice my French listening skills outside of class. Even though I’m not where I want to be language wise, I have notice improvement since my arrival.
I’ve become comfortable with ordering food, buying groceries and looking for certain products in the stores. I’m learning to be patient with myself because it takes time. My current French language professor illustrated a metaphor for the class to comprehend the process of learning a new language.
He said learning a new language is similar to constructing a house or a building. If you visit the construction site daily you can notice all the minimal work being done. It may seem almost unnoticeable but it’s part of the longer process. However, if you don’t see the daily work being done and you just visit the commencing and ending result you’re taken by surprise to see all the progress that was made. So, his advice was for us to continue doing all the daily work and practice that may seem like the bare minimal now because it will be reflected in our overall progress later on. Already I’ve learned so much in this new learning environment, getting out of my comfort zone will be skillful for the remainder of my educational journey and just life in general.
Abroad in Bordeaux 