An American in a French world: personal growth and development abroad

At the end of first semester, I had the beautiful, joyous, and thrilling opportunity to create a 10-minute obligatory video project for DU reflecting on "how/why my time abroad had impacted me," "whether the experience had been transformational," and what I "had learned as a result."

Naturally, my reaction to such a project was nothing short of exuberant. 

No matter the eye-roll-and-vomit-inducing prompt and the hours it took my to create said video project with no past iMovie experience whatsoever, the project did help me start reflecting on my study abroad experience thus far, and just how much I have changed while being in France. 

So... why not write a blog about some of these changes?? 

Let's start with arguably the most important change, that being...

• I have not gotten fat. 

Contrary to the popular belief that living in France will make you enormous (Cheese. All of the cheese), I have not gained any weight. I have, however, lost a fair amount of muscle, because the French just simply don't believe in going to torture chambers -- I mean, gyms -- for the hell of it. Thus, I figured I would make the executive decision to be more like the French, and so I told myself: Mmmm... better not. 

The best kind. 

Let's also not forget about the importance of walking. The French basically walk everywhere, something Americans have forgotten to do in a nation constructed around the ease of automobile use. 

Walking has been the sole saving grace for an ass that is genetically prone to being enormous as well as for my cholesterol level (Cheese. All of the cheese). That being said, I wholeheartedly thank Europeans for building ancient, walkable cities that do not require a vehicle to traverse. 

Thanks for being awesome, Europeans. 

Speaking of cholesterol, another change is that

• My stress level is remarkably lower.

I'm sure all of my readers are familiar with the stereotype that, when going to a meeting, Germans arrive ten minutes early, Americans arrive right on time, and the French and the Spanish arrive somewhere between ten to thirty minutes late, often after having drunk coffees of a size seemingly designed for children.

Well.... all stereotypes have at least a little bit of truth in them, and the French in Rennes have done a fabulous job of fulfilling this one.

Classes often start late, meetings often start late, friends usually show up sometime around the time you decided on to meet up... and you know what? The world keeps spinning. 

Americans have an incredible knack for being on time and stressing constantly about getting to where they need to go. The French, on the other hand, are far more easy going, with a schedule based less on doing so much as simply being. 

Thus, my personality has become far more laissez-faire during my time here, and I worry a whole heck of a lot less than I used to in regards to just about everything. 

On a similar note...

• Another change I have experience is a greater aptitude to laugh at myself and not take things so seriously. 

Living in a foreign country with a foreign language is bound to put anyone in awkward positions from time to time. For example, the other day, I asked my beau if we were going to go see the Hobbit in theaters.

"On va regarder le Hobbit ce soir?"

It's a simple enough question, fairly elementary, even -- however, due to a lack of understanding as to how to pronounce the word "Hobbit" in a French accent, my phrase resembled more closely the following:

"On va regarder la Bite ce soir?"

...which roughly translates to "Are we going to go see dick tonight?"

To which Antoine responded, laughing: "Why yes, Dani. We are going to see dick tonight." 

Face palm.

There have been innumerable times abroad where I have made really dumb mistakes, and I am sure that I will make many more before I head home in the summer. You really just have to laugh it off and expect yourself to do some pretty dumb sh••. We all make fools of ourselves -- might as well enjoy it while it happens! 

While abroad,

• I have also become far more comfortable with the unknown.

Not knowing where I am going to be a month, a week, or even a day from now really doesn't bother me as much as it used to. Heck, I look forward to those opportunities I get while traveling to get lost in a foreign city. Sometimes it's in those very situations -- where we are completely unprepared for what may happen -- that we learn the best about ourselves and our surroundings. You can't prepare for everything in life, so why freak out when something unexpected does happen? 

Push yourself out of your comfort zone and into the unknown. That's where the magic happens.

• I appreciate more now what it means to have a home.  

And no, I don't mean a place where you put all your things and sleep and poop and eat every day of your life. I mean a home where your heart is, that place that you long to be when everything seems to be going wrong, that place where everyone loves you, and that place where you always seem to return to after your journey ends.

For me, home is not so much a specific city or building, but it is simply the location where I can find my loved ones.

My closest family has not lived in the same exact place for over a year and a half now. We have all been in a constant state of moving (Nick from Marine Reserve training back to Colorado, Chris from Parker to Fort Collins, mom and dad from Parker to Denver to Louisville, and me the European vagabond now in France) and we will continue to do so for the next few years to come. 

But there are many days where I just want to be with them: baking oat and chocolate chip cookies with mom and watching Friday Night Lights, listening to Nick and Chris's constant bickering about who can lift more weights than the other, and talking politics with Dad. I want to have an ice cream date at Ben and Jerry's with my roomie Abreana; I want to laugh at absolutely nothing with Jessica in Blue Steel, her mini cooper, and sing as loudly as possible out the window; I want to have coffee with Derrick at Kaladi's like we used to every weekend.

It's hard being away for so long, and distance really makes you realize who is really important in life. 

Never take for granted being in the presence of those people who love you. Nothing in life is more precious than those connections you share with others, and there is no human emotion more beautiful than love, be it romantic or otherwise. 

If you don't believe me, take it from Yvaine in Stardust (one of my favorite-est movies EVER) in the clip below, when she confesses her love to Tristan (yes, currently in the form of a mouse. JUST WATCH THE MOVIE ALREADY). 

Last but not least....

• Study abroad has reinforced within me the importance of striving for international knowledge and tolerance.

I am not over-exaggerating when I say that Americans are extraordinarily and shockingly undereducated, particularly when it comes to history, geography and international relations. 

(If you don't believe me, follow the link below and read this study published by NPR: 

Who won the Civil War? Tough Question)

Indeed, Americans as a whole have a global rep for being pretty damn ignorant and factually egotistical, caring little about international affairs in other countries as well as about worldwide events that have happened in the past (for proof, ask every person in every other country ever). 

Being in Europe, there is a constant, enormous flux of diverse languages, cultures, and information, and this helps foster a spirit of cooperation and worldliness that is completely lacking in the States -- except perhaps on the East coast and in major cities. 

Exposure to a diverse set of world-views, religions, nationalities, and races in France and throughout my travels has further ignited my desire to become more aware and thoughtful with a generally expanded perspective on global issues. I hope to continuously be in a process of bettering myself and thinking about things from different points of view even after I go back to the States in the summer.

So what about you, readers? Did you notice any personal transformations that you experienced while studying abroad? 

Let me know in a comment below!

D