tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255551009971590256.post2793221750553688433..comments2013-02-17T23:30:12.640-05:00Comments on Sophia's Global Adventure: Metaphors (What it feels like)Sophia K-Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03123637264567858080noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255551009971590256.post-76739784280219126762012-01-21T22:20:06.040-05:002012-01-21T22:20:06.040-05:00Hey - I'm heading to France for a semester exc...Hey - I'm heading to France for a semester exchange in only a few days, and I stumbled upon your blog via afsblog.org... this is amazing, and gave me so much inspiration before I leave :) it sounds like you learnt a lot and experienced so much.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255551009971590256.post-22391375513834725642012-01-18T22:07:21.745-05:002012-01-18T22:07:21.745-05:00To answer the easier question first, I took 4 year...To answer the easier question first, I took 4 years of French in school before I went to France. <br /><br />As for what it was like, it became really normal really quickly. But it's hard to describe what normal is. No matter what you're used to at home, it will be different at first. Each experience is different, but you can count on it being something like nothing you've ever done before. Sure, you wake up, eat, go to school, come home, do some homework. But with all that's new around you, even something as boring as waiting for your teacher to show up at the start of class becomes something you'll remember. <br /><br />At first, it's like starting anything new. There's excitement, both from you and the people around you, there's nerves, and there's definite challenges (hey, starting anything takes a little effort). But quicker than you realize, you get used to it. Going to school in France really isn't all that different from going to school in the US. You just... do it. You don't think about how, it just happens. Life just happens. <br /><br />I know that may be the worst description ever, but it really is hard to put the most life changing year I've ever had into a few words. <br /><br />BUT<br /><br />If you are able, GO FOR A YEAR. I know that sounds like a lot, and it is, but for me the toughest time came in the first few weeks. That's the transition phase, and it's also like the length of a summer program. A semester is a bit longer, but when all the semester kids left France half way through my stay I was soooo happy I wasn't with them. Because it was at that point in time that I was really starting to do everything naturally. The French, the friends, the classwork, it was all becoming totally normal. <br /><br />SOOOO, in conclusion, DO IT. Because it's AMAZING.Sophia K-Hhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03123637264567858080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255551009971590256.post-71797584374867939102012-01-18T21:15:22.918-05:002012-01-18T21:15:22.918-05:00I don't know if you still check this but what ...I don't know if you still check this but what was it like? Going to school there for a year. I'm thinking about going for a semester or the summer. Did you take a french class before going?Allieehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09788495989776620532noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255551009971590256.post-9407259184718651302012-01-16T09:31:40.146-05:002012-01-16T09:31:40.146-05:00you'll get in.you'll get in.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com