My Semester in Nantes: A Reflection

The IES Abroad Nantes program was the default study abroad program for the French Department at my University, so as a French minor, I had not put much thought into choosing it over other destinations. I knew I wanted to spend a semester abroad, and was excited for the opportunity to improve my French through immersion in a less mainstream French city.

I had no idea that the experience I was preparing for would be one of the most meaningful and transformative experiences of my life up until that point. I had never been abroad for more than a week prior, and the first time having a true immersion experience on my own.

After having heard so many clichés for years about the benefits of travel, I was not prepared for the very real impacts that my semester abroad had on developing who I am. 

First and foremost, I am surprised and incredibly pleased with the quantifiable progress I have made with my French. Having studied French for five semesters ahead of time, I figured that I already had a good working grasp of the language. My perception quickly changed as I was humbled by how much I discovered that I did not know, and I am now greatly pleased to have learned. Being immersed in French through coursework, program activities, and staying with a host family allowed me to improve my French in many different contexts. After completing the program, I now feel eminently confident in my ability to speak and understand French, and am grateful to have had such an intensive immersion.

Furthermore, being abroad has encouraged me to embrace my sense of adventure by seeking new experiences and exploring new places. This semester was a much-welcomed break from the obligations of my home university. While it was still academically rigorous, I enjoyed more freedom to pursue my passions and try new things. Had it not been for my time abroad, I would have never done things like act in a theater performance or complete an English teaching internship at a French high school. 

IES Abroad provided a multitude of activities led by program tutors from Nantes. These included guided weekend trips around France, visits to museums and attractions around Nantes, the “Club de Conversation” with local French students, and weekly cooking workshops, among other things. It was easy to be social, as every day there was something to do, even as simple as playing a board game at the center.

I was fortunate to have had a particularly dynamic and engaged cohort of students in the program. We were only 32 in total, which is much smaller than most study abroad programs, and allowed us to become very close with one another. Being in a foreign country with a different language can at times feel isolating, and I felt reassured that I always had a network of people I could socialize with and relate to. Several of us went on trips together throughout the semester, and we are already planning reunions for when we are back in the U.S.

That being said, it is important not to over-rely on other Americans while abroad. Part of the immersion experience involves being comfortable with the uncomfortable and placing oneself in new situations. Beyond the inherent language immersion aspect of this, I also feel that, as a result of my time in Nantes, I am much more capable as an independent traveler. Throughout the semester, I made a point of visiting local cities and attractions by train. By doing this, I learned a lot of practical tips about traveling and navigating public transportation. I now feel greatly confident in my ability to travel independently without problem.

The Nantes program ends the last week of April, and at that time, I felt that I was not yet ready to leave France. Many of the other students from the cohort took a few days after the program to travel around Europe, and some stayed in Nantes to complete an internship and work as an au pair. 

My visa was still valid until July, and I decided that after spending four months in a larger city, I wanted to discover the real French countryside. I enrolled in a program called WWOOF (World-Wide Organization of Organic Farms), which operates a bit like Airbnb, where farmers from different countries offer to host people interested in working for various periods of time. These workers, known as WWOOFers, are unpaid, but receive free lodging and meals at the farms where they stay.

I requested to spend the month of May working on a small dairy farm in Brittany, a few hours north of Nantes. This was an incredibly rewarding experience, as I got to spend each day working outdoors and met some great people. I would greatly recommend additional immersion experiences like this for furthering language progression, as I found that at Nantes, much of the French I had developed was academic and descriptive, while at the farm, I learned terms that were more concrete and practical.

In all, my semester in Nantes was an incredible experience that I am immensely fortunate to have had. After having been immersed in a foreign language for over four months and completing coursework at Nantes Université, I now have greater confidence in my life in general. The IES Abroad staff made it clear to me and the cohort that we will always have a supportive network in Nantes, and I cannot wait to go back.

Favet Neptunus Eunti (Neptune favors those who voyage), the motto of the city of Nantes.