Samantha is a junior journalism and French double major. She has lived in Maryland for far too long, and is more than happy to be spending this semester in France with the Maryland-in-Nice program.
By the time anyone reads this, I’ll probably be in France, but right now I’m taking a break from trying to pack. I’m going to be studying abroad in Nice for the next four months, and honestly I have no idea how to pack for a trip that long. For example, how many pairs of shoes would it be acceptable to bring? My dad thinks three is more than enough, but I think dads don’t really understand about shoes.
My decision to study abroad was an easy one. Actually, I don’t really even remember making the decision. Study abroad is just something I’ve always known I wanted to do. Something about hopping on a plane and jetting off to another country for a few months just sounds like a great escape to me. Of course, I failed to realize that you don’t just waltz through airport security, get on the plane and then proceed to have a grand adventure.
A lot of planning has gone into this trip, which has been rough for me, because I’m not really a huge fan of planning. There was the application to the study abroad office, a passport application, a visa application and tons of other boring paperwork. So now, I’m pretty much ready to stop planning and preparing and get on the plane.
I honestly don’t really know that much about what I’m getting myself into, but here’s what I know so far:
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1. All my classes (15 credits, I think) will be in French. Scary!
2. I’m going to be living with a single woman, in what has been described by the rental agency as a “small, agreeable apartment.” The lady is in her 60s and has a cat.
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That’s about it so far. I know France’s weather right now is slightly warmer there than it is here, and the food is supposed to be awesome. My list of concerns is much longer. What if I don’t like it? What if my French isn’t as good as I think it is and I can’t understand anyone? What if I run out of money? I could go on and on, but that would ruin this nonchalant, devil-may-care, European adventurer persona that I’m trying (but so far, I think failing) to establish.
Some of my preparations have been much more fun and relaxing. For example, I find that drinking champagne while reading Harry Potter in French makes me feel extremely prepared. Also, I got a haircut. So in that sense, I feel pretty prepared. Now I just need to figure out how to pack for four months.
The next time I write, I’ll be thousands of miles away, probably struggling to ask directions to classes I may or may not understand. So, goodbye, College Park, have fun without me, and try not to be too different when I get back.