The Experiment: France: French Language & Culture

This trip was one of the best study abroad programs I have ever done. There were so many great things about it's hard to even put into words. I think for me the most valuable thing was the incredible friends I made. I still talk to them now daily months after the trip was over. Going through an experience like that was so incredible and amazing and doing it together made it so much better. I really miss all my friends from France and I plan to reunite with them soon. I also loved living with a host family with someone who was my age. We became really good friends and I still talk to her daily too. I felt like I was able to live like a real french teenager, we went and hung out with her friends, watched movies, did karaoke, and gossiped about boys. She made me feel right at home like a second sister and made sure I knew that any time I went to France I was welcome back.
In terms of the things we did I just can't even explain how wonderful the cooking experience was. It was hard work but we were able to make wonderful and beautiful creations. And we got to taste the best food I've ever tasted in my life. It's not everyday you get to eat food cooked by a world famous chef at a michelin star restaurant. Because the chef/teacher cooked everything we cooked and let is taste his I got to eat dishes that would normally cost $300 multiple times a day everyday for a week. It was heaven for a food addict like me.
My favorite memory is the last night when we all went to the eiffel tower. I've seen pictures of the eiffel tower before and I was convinced I would not be impressed by a tall hunk of metal. I was wrong. When you see the tower lit up for the first time, it knocks the breath out of you. It's so magical and whimsical, it's hard to explain unless you go. It was such a happy memory I was in the best place, with the best people, and we were all so happy.

From sightseeing the Eiffel Tower to living in an ordinary French home and cooking in one of France's most beautiful city, Lyon, this program has taken me on an unforgettable journey. I was immensely exposed to the French culture and language by having the opportunity to be proximate with local inhabitants. The Experiment program was very flexible and free flowing, allowing me to make my own discoveries of the elegant country and independently explore my curiosity of the food, language, and culture. Thanks to the Experiment, my love for the country has deepened, and my passion for the French language has been rekindled. My 3-week adventure in France has become one of my most cherished memories and most certainly remains as an "experiment" that was of great success.

I had such an amazing time at France. I'm still in contact with my host family and a host sister, whom I dearly love. Not only the program gives me an amazing extended family, it also helps me grow as a person and be able to take on the challenge in exploring French culture. The smell of freshly made baguettes during our cooking program still lingers in my mind. It was such an unforgettable experience that I cannot forget even a second of it. I was also able to learn how to communicate without speaking English. Although I may not be fluent in French, my host family still understands me and try their best to explain their culture and day to day life. It is like once in a lifetime experience for me and I would say, EIL has given me one of the lifetime experience that I would never get elsewhere.