On the drive to the airport, I felt the first hint of doubt about leaving my friends and family to spend 10 months in France.
The car ride passed fairly quickly after I weighed the amount of time I’ve anxiously spent waiting for this moment versus the time spent doubting it. Now, I’m ready to face this journey head-on and tackle any difficulties that might come my way with as much composure as a jet-lagged and luggage-laden 20-year-old can manage.
Leading up to this study abroad trip, I gave a lot of thought — maybe too much thought — as to what I wanted to get out of this experience. Aside from the obvious, like staying safe and not failing out of school, the number one goal I have is to become fluent in French.
Considering the length of my trip, I’m optimistic I can accomplish this.
This is my number one goal for a few reasons. First, I have been studying French for seven years now, and I think it’s time to master it. Second, I want to communicate confidently with natives in Aix-en-Provence. Finally, it will help me finish my French degree easily next year.
The next-highest goal on my list is also the reason I’m writing for the Indiana Daily Student this semester — I want to travel as much as possible.
All I ever hear is people wishing they had taken more opportunities to travel when they were younger, and I know this is my chance to see Europe.
Besides these two long-term goals, I have a few short-term goals I hope to accomplish.
The biggest and most closely looming is to lease an apartment in Aix.
I’ve never even leased an apartment in the United States, so I don’t have any good idea of what I’m walking into. Let’s just hope I’m not too jet-lagged my second day in France, since that’s when I’ll be picking the apartment.
No pressure, though.
My last goal is familiar to me, because I had the same one freshman year on campus in Bloomington — to become familiar with my new town.
I’ve never been further south in France than Paris, so the South is a completely new ball game for me.
I’ve done research and talked to past students, but I know the real test is how I’m able to navigate and communicate throughout the city.
One of my favorite aspects of learning a new language is learning the culture that comes with it, and the thing I hope for most is to feel a part of the lifestyle in Aix by the time I leave.
I hesitate to call that a goal, because I don’t think I can control that — it will just happen. Now I’ll just wait for the next 10 months to unfold and see when it does.
