Student Blogs/ Marissa in France
Happy Summer Sprotties!
Not 10 minutes ago, I boarded a train, travelling from my host city of Montpellier to the capital of this beautiful country, Paris. Seeing as this is going to be a three hour journey, I decided it was a great time to discuss a very exciting aspect of studying abroad: travelling!
I must admit that, apart from meeting new people, this was the aspect of my year abroad that excited me the most! So far, I have been extremely lucky, being able to visit many countries all around Europe. Each of these experiences have been unique, so don’t ask which was my favourite (far too difficult to choose)!
A truly liberating experience. Although travelling alone in a foreign country may seem like a daunting thought, it provides such a fantastic opportunity for self-growth. It allows you to go outside your comfort zone; from eating alone in a restaurant to asking strangers for directions when there is a language barrier. It is an experience that I believe everyone should try at least once in their life! This year, I have done two solo trips: a two week journey to Berlin and Prague, and a three day trip to Venice. Both experiences were phenomenal and allowed me to gain more self-confidence while exploring the world.
Although completely different from travelling by yourself, travelling with one or more other people is equally memorable. For the majority of my trips, I traveled with other students. The largest group I travelled with was ten people, including fellow BIBers Ruth and Kayla, to the cities of Lisbon and Sintra in Portugal! As this was the largest group of people I had ever travelled with, I didn’t know what to expect. Due to vast difference in preferences among us, I was able to see and experience many things that I might not have if I was travelling alone. As well, there was always people to talk with, which was really comforting. Overall, I was really happy that I chose to go on this trip… it was definitely one to remember! Being able to travel with different people, especially those who come from different cultures, is truly rewarding and gives you a new perspective to travelling!
Overall, travelling is a truly eye-opening experience. It allows you to see the world in a completely new perspective. Sure, even if you if you plan every detail of your trip, things will not always work out the way you thought… but that’s half the fun!
À bientôt!
-Marissa
Marissa is a third-year Bachelor of International Business (BIB) studying abroad in France.