Immersion through Sports in Nantes

One of the most rewarding parts of my semester abroad has been taking part in the wide range of sports available at Nantes Université.The university has a program called SUAPS, through which students can sign up to participate in a variety of sports and outdoor activities for free, regardless of existing skill level. All IES Abroad Nantes students have full student status at the university, regardless of whether they decide to take classes there, and thus have access to SUAPS. The SUAPS program requires a one-time €25 activation fee, €10 of which can be reimbursed by IES Nantes. This is paid in person at the Halle de SUAPS on the Tertres campus, where humanities classes are held. This payment activates the SUAPS account, granting access to the portal to sign up for activities. Students can select up to three sports to sign up for at a time, which can be changed online at any point. Each sport is held at different weekly hours. It is possible to sign up for up to four sessions a week among the three selections. Sessions are held at several locations across the Nantes Université campuses, and are offered for students at different levels of experience, depending on the sport. This is also the program for using the gym. One must sign up for one of the “musculation” sessions and scan in with a student ID card. Weightlifting classes are always offered during these times, though it is also possible to exercise independently. The campus gyms all have locker rooms with showers, and shelves in the weight rooms for storing personal items. It is required to bring a towel to place on the machines and benches.Unlike most American universities, SUAPS has no teams that require multi-day commitments or tryouts, as the team-based sports are held more in an informal pickup format. It is very easy to try new sports, as there is always an instructor at each session to organize the activity and explain how to play for those without prior experience. In addition, all equipment is typically provided, and most activities only require that you bring sneakers and exercise clothes. This semester, in addition to musculation, I did English boxing, fencing, and circus arts. For each of these activities, I was welcomed as a beginner and did not need to purchase anything except a mouthguard for boxing, which is available at Intersport (about a 10-minute walk from the IES Nantes center). Playing sports is a great way to enrich a language immersion experience, as it offers an opportunity to meet new people and learn specific vocabulary. Doing SUAPS has been great for me to interact with locals and learn new sports, which I would not have had the opportunity to try at my home university.My one regret was that I had initially hesitated to sign up for SUAPS sessions, as I felt intimidated about entering a new environment where I had no prior experience. The language barrier intensifies any already potentially nerve-racking experience, and it took over a month for me to finally sign up. Because of this, I found it difficult to form lasting connections with other participants as I was not always able to attend sessions every week. If I had begun earlier, I would not have had to start as a complete beginner in the middle of the semester, and I believe it would have been easier to connect with the other participants. I also would have had more time to try other sports that interested me, like French boxing and outdoor hikes.In all, SUAPS offers an excellent opportunity to exercise and have some fun this semester. A semester abroad is a great time to explore and try new things. Participating in local sports through SUAPS is a great way to further enjoy the experience.