When I boarded the plane I had an all-too basic idea of what France would be like. I was ready to traverse the country on trains and buses. I was ready to enjoy scrumptious baguettes that need no jam and no peanut butter to taste absolutely delicious. But there was so much about France that had never crossed my mind.
Walking through Tours, located in north-central France, is like traversing a cultural hub filled with centuries-old buildings, which need constant renovation to maintain their pristine form. The streets are filled with artisan bakeries and pharmacies.
Dogs are plentiful and are allowed in many businesses. In fact, leashes are for sale in the post offices and you can often find a dog waiting in line (with its owner) for a book of stamps. Townhouses connect and share space and buses and trains cover the city. There is even a modern tramway opening that puts the light rail in Denver to shame.
Fashion permeates daily life. No one leaves the house without a well-coordinated outfit, which often includes a beautiful scarf. My French friends reacted in horror when I explained that many girls at UW wear sweat pants, or pajamas, to class.
And, while I occasionally miss my late-night meals of tacos and horchata, they have been replaced with delicious noodle soups and kebabs. I am also blessed with two Italian and two French roommates who regularly share delectable crêpes, pizza and pasta; meals that almost (though not fully) rival my late-night football fraternity potlucks.
I came to France to become fluent in French and I have achieved my goal. My French friends no longer have to slow down when they talk to me and I have learned a whole assortment of modern French slang like mec or mon pote (“dude” or “my best friend”).
Classes meet once a week and the days fly by. After class I hang out with friends at the café where we plan our weekend trips to the castles in the Loire Valley in the heart of France. Castles in Chinon and Amboise are only a couple Euros away by train to visit, and nothing says European more like going to Leonardo da Vinci’s home in Amboise, and looking at all of his inventions. Even the castle Chambord was easy to fit into a weekend trip. As for the Mona Lisa at the Louvre in Paris — well, you might be surprised to find that Leonardo has made even better works.
As I finish up my study abroad experience, I reflect, not on the public transportation and baguettes that originally constituted my vision of the county, but on the French and international friends I have made here. When you make a French friend, it means more than just adding a classmate on Facebook. These friendships last a lifetime.
