Reflections on a Study Abroad Semester in Nantes

Studying abroad is a unique experience. This semester was unlike any other semester of my college experience. While that may be obvious, it’s not obvious exactly how different a study abroad semester can be. You learn much about yourself and who you are when you are separated from your normal surroundings.

In Nantes, I did so many things that I had never done before. I commuted on public transit almost every day. I tried different foods for the first time. I planned trips myself and travelled alone. I planned trips with friends and travelled in small groups. I woke up every morning and had every interaction in French some days. All of these things were so foreign to me at the beginning, and now that I’m home, I’m nostalgic. I miss the packed tram with nowhere to sit down, the struggle to speak with people, the labor that it took to take classes in a language not my own. I miss going to the U Express and getting a baguette and a block of Comté cheese to make a sandwich. All of the things I miss were new to me at the beginning, a complete break from my experience previously. 

I had a completely different life for one semester, and that upheaval meant I was able to see who I was when I wasn’t surrounded by familiarity. Honestly, studying abroad is a challenge. Things are different, and thus they are difficult. While the difficulty fades, how you react to the difference sticks with you, and you get better at navigating new situations and meeting new people. When I went off to college, I was far away from anyone I had ever known. That experience was amplified by ten this semester. I was in a different country, on a different continent, with people I had never met. I’m proud to say I took it in stride. I familiarized myself with my new surroundings, improved my abilities in another language, and forged new friendships that will last a long time. I made a foreign country my home for four months, and I didn’t just suffer through it. I adapted to a new lifestyle and thrived in a new place. 

Nantes is a fantastic city. The architecture, the transit, the people, the food—I miss them all. I would give quite a bit to walk down Boulevard Guist’hau again, or eat a sandwich from the Viennoise on the steps of the Opera at Place Graslin. I came to love my walk to and from the IES Abroad center, even when it was frigid or pouring rain. There were always people catching the bus, biking to work, kids scootering to school, no matter the weather. I love my afternoon visits to Cimitiere Misericorde, where I would sit on a bench and just chill as the sun disappeared behind the stone mausoleums. Nantes to me is familiar now. While the newness and awe faded after the first few weeks, it was replaced by a warm glow in my chest that never went away. It’s a friendly city, a living city, a city that anyone can make their home. I’ll never forget my time in Nantes, and the city will forever be a part of me. 

Rising to the challenge of studying abroad will change you. You will be more self-sufficient, more adaptable to change, more ready to take on life’s next adventure. If you have ever thought that a study abroad might be right for you, it definitely is. The exploration of a new place, a new culture, and by extension, an exploration of yourself in that new context, is irreplaceable. I know it’s cliché, but you truly will not see the world in the same way ever again. Exploring different places and feeding your curiosity will change you in ways that you did not expect and teach you things you didn't know before. I cannot recommend studying abroad enough, especially in Nantes, one of my favorite cities in the world and somewhere I will always consider myself at home.