First of many trips!

I came into college as a sport business major and a French minor. After loving my classes and wanting to study abroad, it was easy for my professor to convince me to turn my French minor into a major. I decided to go to France to complete my requirements for the major then be done with French classes. Once I arrived in Lyon, France I quickly realized I didn't want those classes to be my last French classes. During my short four months in France, I traveled to 15 cities across 6 different countries. I fell in love with traveling and realized I could picture myself working abroad. Studying abroad was the best thing I have ever done in my life! When I returned from France, I became a Global Ambassador for my university's study abroad office. I was so passionate about sharing my experience and wanting others to have the same great experience as I did. My top three takeaways from studying abroad are:
1. You gain lifelong friends
2. You become more independent
3. You create lifelong memories
From the very first night I made some of my closest friends. Our entire program got along and we would cook meals together to save money, we would go out together, and we would travel together. After being back in the United States for 4 months, we are already planning a reunion so everyone can see each other. Going into studying abroad I expected to make friends, but I never expected the whole group to do activities together. It made the whole experience less intimidating because everyone was always up for an adventure.
Even though I had made many friends, I still became more independent while living in France. It was a little bit of an adjustment knowing that I wasn't in the same country as my family, but it made me more independent. I had to learn how to navigate the public transportation system, speak to native French speakers, plan my own travel agenda, and do my own shopping. Learning to do these activities on my own made me a more confident person and I took this confidence back to the United States with me.
The last takeaway I gained from studying abroad were the memories. There wasn't a single night that I wasn't doing something with my friends. Whether it was staying in and playing a card game, trying a new restaurant, visiting a museum, going to a rugby match, celebrating a birthday, celebrating Thanksgiving together, or shopping at the Christmas markets, there was always something to do and something to help improve your French. I went in to France with no confidence in my speaking at all, but when I returned to America I had much more confidence and my speaking improved so much.