Study Abroad in Paris
In the summer of 2013, I had the opportunity to study abroad in Paris, France for the month of July. Having never left the country before, let alone the southeastern United States, I was justifiably nervous and terrified by the prospect of leaving home for an entire month. My entire world consisted of a few small towns in Alabama and some stops along the road around them. Change was frightening, so why give up comfort and familiarity for something wholly unknown and strange? As I continued to study French, I began to realize that I would never master it, let alone any of my personal development goals, if I didn't step outside of my comfort zone and really challenge myself. Personal growth is truly only possible in those places that force one to adapt in a foreign environment as they show one's strength and resilience in the face of the unknown. Resolved to better both myself and my French, I set out for Paris determined to come back a different and better person.
Despite how scary all of it seemed, once I got there, I found myself able to adapt much better than I anticipated. Though I was not as strong in French then as I am now, I was still able to get by relatively easy, especially with the help of some of the more advanced students in my class. I spent every day exploring one of the most beautiful cities in the world, finding all sorts of hidden nooks and crannies that the average tourist would easily miss while hurrying to the Eiffel Tower or Notre Dame. I quickly befriended several of the students in my class, whose backgrounds ranged from Italian, to Colombian, and even South Korean. French was our common language, and we spent most days strolling around Paris, communicating in broken French and exaggerated gestures while having a grand old time discovering some of the most awe-inspiring and majestic landmarks, vistas, and monuments we had ever seen.
That summer in Paris easily ranks as one of the most transformative and life-changing experiences of my life. Learning and practicing French in a classroom three times a week in 50-minute increments is one thing, but being immersed and surrounded by it 24/7 is completely different. I learned quite a bit about the French language that month, in addition to learning a few things about myself. What I discovered was an immense and unquenchanble thirst for travel and an insatiable curiosity about the world and its peoples. Every day was a new opportunity to see something different, do something unexpected, and discover something more about myself. I saw that I was capable of not only adapting in a strange and foreign enviornment, but also thriving in it. I was able to look into the unknown and embrace it with open arms.
Parlement francophone des jeunes des amériques
During the first week of August in 2014, I participated in the inaugural Parlement francophone des jeunes des Amériques (literally, francophone parliament of young Americans). Sponsored by Québec's Centre de la francophonie des Amériques, which seeks to promote francophone culture in the Americas, the PFJA gathered roughly 100 people from all across North, Central, and South America in Toronto, Canada for a parlimentary simulation.
In the simulation, all of the Americas became one country, and each participant was assigned to one region and to one of three political parties. Each party proposed one law, which was debated in both the full assembly and in committees. In addition to debating laws, we also attended several presentations and events featuring various Canadian politicians, journalists, and political scientists discussing and debating such important topics as the role of women in politics, Québec's independence movement, political "double-talk," and the role of the media in political discourse.
Taking place a full year after my study abroad in Paris, the PFJA was a much different experience on a number levels. Easily the most difficult part of the whole simulation was having to constantly speak in French. My knowledge of French had increased dramatically by the time I arrived in Toronto, but I was not prepared for the trials awaiting me. From the moment I woke up to the second I fell asleep, I was thinking and speaking completely in French. The first two days were the hardest, and I found myself struggling to communicate even the most basic of ideas, let alone debating politics and political theory. Similarly to my study abroad, however, I was able to adapt quickly, and by the third day I finally started to grasp all of it. I still had trouble, of course, but instead of hiding in the back and not speaking, I made myself an active participant in as many of the proceedings as I could. This culminated on Friday when, standing before all of my newfound friends I gave a short speech in support of my party's law.
Nearly everyone knew about my linguistic struggles throughout the PFJA, which is why the standing ovation I received after my speech was so incredible. Throughout the whole week everyone had been encouraging me speak at the full assembly, but no one forced me. I could have taken the easy way out and remained silient, but instead I chose to take the harder path. Few things worth doing in life are easy, and in taking the more difficult route I was rewarded with a beautiful sense of accomplishment and the knowledge that I am far more capable of things than I realize. When I look back on the PFJA, my first thoughts always head towards the dozens of incredible and wonderful people I was blessed to have met and befriended. Without them, I wouldn't have been able to survive this simulation at all, let alone speak in front of everyone. Despite only being 1/6th the length of my study abroad, I learned just as much, if not more, as I had in Paris. I came back to Auburn with more confidence, more faith in my linguistic ability, and, after having much such diverse cast of people, an even greater love of different peoples and cultures.
