Aero: Dallas Zebrowski – France 2018 – My Expectations

Posted by LEAF Architect on Monday, September 10, 2018 · Leave a Comment

France 2018 – My Expectations

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Dallas Zebrowski

I would like to preface this first reflection regarding my initial expectations with a promise, which is essential to the credibility of my answer. I promise I did put critical thought and a fair amount of contemplation into answering the question, what will “life” be like in France?

With that said, my answer to the previous question; life will not be that different. This may sound like a “cop-out” answer, but the more I thought about it, the more it made sense.

Concerning living arrangements, I believe that the combination of a hotel/host family will not differ greatly from that which exist in America. The hotel experience I expect to be almost identical to the American version, apart from the availability of “café american” and perhaps the breakfast food. (However, I do sincerely and passionately hope that I am wrong concerning the breakfast food and wish that we are provided with better quality sustenance than the traditional American hotel experience has to offer.) The host family living arrangement I also believe will be like an American experience. Aside from the obvious, that I will be sleeping in France and not America, most likely I will stay with a family that has two parents, a child that attends university (possibly more that attend a lower form of education) and be sleeping in a bed within the walls of a house. The parents will most likely spend their day working, the child attending university, and in the evening, they will most likely try to unwind after the day. Not an extremely different experience than one found in America.

Concerning technology, I believe France, especially their millennial generation, will be just as consumed by their “devices” (as my elderly Fredonia history Professor so eloquently put it) as we Americans are. Perhaps the apps will be different, perhaps the French Carrier is different, but in the big picture nothing will be too off.

Concerning classes, I am quite excited to experience French University. (Albeit, a very limited experience, but I am still excited none the less) Again, I do not think classes will be terribly different. Times may be off, or perhaps classes last longer, but I predict any differences will be regarded as “fun facts” rather than “earth-shattering differences”. I am aware it is custom for French students to eat at home, so while that may be different for some people, it is an everyday occurrence for myself.

Finally, the difference of living in a world without English. (The difference of living in a Francophone world instead of an English speaking one will not be discussed, as it is too simplistic and obvious to elaborate on “They will be speaking French and not English.”) My most immediate thought concerning this situation is my continual need to be clear and concise in my speech. I am also very excited to learn about the idioms and nuances of French. I recently learned “Je suis faim” does not mean what an English speaker thinks it means, so I am interested in learning other lingual quirks.

Over all, while the trip will most likely be a life changing experience, I think it will be drastically similar to the American experience than most would believe.

Dallas Zebrowski
Study Abroad – France 2018 @ FLCC

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