Traveling abroad, especially on an
exchange program, changed my life more than I ever thought possible. Not only
was I able to enrich myself in an unfamiliar culture, but I had so many unique
experiences, met a number of people, and gave myself an opportunity to open my
eyes to the world and how huge it really is. Going on this trip helped me
tremendously in that I was able to learn about living in another country while
also learning about who I am as a person.
When I first discovered the possibility of being an exchange student in France through ANDEO, I was thrilled. The previous summer, I had participated in a trip to a small city in France through my school, and that included staying with a host family. I had an incredible time, but I knew I wanted to continue, to broaden my perceptions, not only of France, its culture, and the world, but of myself. Though I was excited, I struggled with convincing myself that this was a journey I should embark on. I pondered this for several weeks, before deciding that this was truly something I wanted to experience. This way was the best option for me to learn as much French as possible, while traveling independently, and, ultimately, challenging myself and going out of my comfort zone. The next day, I booked my flights, and my voyage became real. I was going to France, alone, for five weeks, hoping to experience something like never before.
Leaving Portland was difficult for me, as expected. Tears slipped down my cheeks as I hugged my parents goodbye. I didn’t quite know what to expect, yet I felt ready to embark on this adventure. Over 24 hours later (including a six-hour layover in Amsterdam, one small smoothie, and a flight to Bordeaux), I arrived in the city that I would call home for the next month. Walking off the airplane and onto French soil felt like a dream come true. The moment was finally here, and even though I was extremely exhausted, I couldn’t have been more awake.
Meeting my host family was an unbelievable moment that I have no way of describing. They were so kind to me right from the start, which helped to make me comfortable. I didn’t have trouble asking them what I wanted to know about living in France, and Bordeaux, and one of the first nights I was there they took me on a tour of the city so I could know where everything was. They made sure I was happy, enjoying myself, and learning a lot, right up until the moment I left. I still can’t believe how lucky I am to have had this experience, made all the better by my welcoming host family.

There are plenty of things to do in France, no matter what
city you are in. Just being in France put me in awe, and it was enough for me
to be in the country let alone visiting landmarks and learning about the area I
was in. That said, it was so much fun getting to know the city of Bordeaux and
what it’s like to live there. My host mom took me to visit a few Châteaux in
the area, which are castles, and my host sister competes in horseback riding,
so I was able to go to her stables often and watch her ride. I love horses, so
it was awesome to see them almost everyday, and I met all of my host sister’s
friends who also ride horses. Biking around the city was a popular activity as
well, as was going to the center of the city for food and ice cream.

My host sister, her friend, and I after biking to and having lunch at a nearby park.
My favorite part of my entire exchange was something unique that I was able to do with my host family. We went camping, an hour south of Paris, for the National Championships of horseback riding that my host sister was competing in. This was during the third week of my stay in France, and although I had known before I left the U.S. that I would be doing this, I didn’t know exactly what it would entail, which made me nervous. It ended up being the best part of the entire trip. This is largely due to the fact that we were camping in a group of people from the stables, so for a week, we did everything together, and each person made me feel welcome. I got to know so many people really well, speak in French more because there were tons of people to talk to, and make life-long friends. A few days into the week, another family arrived, coincidentally with another exchange student, who was also from Oregon! The joke was that we were going to have an English night in which everyone was required to speak English. Before this camping trip, I knew my host sister, her friends, her coach, and the other families we were with, but definitely not as well as when we returned to their home in Bordeaux. I really surprised myself by being able to converse with so many people and to have us understand each other. I think it’s so important to being open to doing pretty much anything with your host family, or whatever they suggest, because you never know where it could take you, or what you will get to do.


The view one night while camping!

The group I camped with!

The city of Bordeaux from Le Pont de Pierre one night while biking around.
Overall, I could not be more thankful for my trip and those
who made it so incredible. This is just a glimpse into my adventure, and there
is so much more to tell. I cannot put into words all of the feelings and
emotions that I had in the moments and still have. If you are thinking about
participating in an exchange program through ANDEO, I highly encourage you to
step out of your comfort zone and go for it. You never know what could happen,
but who knows, it might end up being the best thing that has ever happened to
you. I had such mixed feelings returning home after five weeks (I traveled to a
different part of France after a month in Bordeaux to visit some friends for a
week before returning home). I was excited to be home again, yet it was very
difficult to leave behind my friends and my journey. Traveling abroad through
an exchange program is one of the best things you can do for your language
learning, but also for learning about yourself. I didn’t know how much I would
miss my experiences until I was home, and back on west coast time. Embracing
the idea of a new culture, a welcoming family, an open mind, and traveling the
world can do wonders for you. I hope you have as spectacular of an experience
as I did.
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