A New Country, a New World

It's hard to condense five months into a short review, but here it goes. For a semester I studied in Lyon, France and lived with a French family. I took an internship USAC offered, teaching high school students English, and spent my days learning in a genuine French classroom with a stereotypical baguette in my bag and a smile on my face - nearly 24/7.
Now I say nearly, because living in a foreign country and speaking a foreign language are not by any means, easy tasks. There are days my head would ache, I would want to hide from language embarrassment, and just want to be in my American bed back home. But that's where USAC came in.
USAC gave me the opportunity to do something entirely out of my comfort zone, with resources, guidance, and program directors who were there for me, every single time I needed them. Those difficulties were turned into moments of growth and I was able to take situations that may have completely shut me down, to opportunities of recognition for how far I had come, and how much I had accomplished. I spent my days challenging myself learning a language I loved, exploring the streets of a stunning city, and making friendships with incredible humans, of all ages and nationalities.
Studying abroad gave me a second family, on the other side of the world, who I still talk to on the daily. My French "Mom" and "Dad" were individuals who truly changed my life - and I would not have been so fortunate to make such a bond if it wasn't for USAC, once again. The person who stepped back onto American soil in May was not the same person who had left it 5 months earlier - the world that opened to me was one that gave me confidence, strength, and a love for challenge and cultural understanding - and I have USAC to thank for it.