Emily Falge, International Internship Program: Paris Summer 2023
One of the biggest pieces of advice I would give is to keep an open mind. There are plenty of jokes and stereotypes that you hear in the US about the French about how rude, hostile, and unwelcoming they are to Americans. While I would not say that my time on this program was without cultural barriers and challenges, going in with a mindset ruled by stereotypes and a victim mindset only makes it more difficult. What could easily be viewed as ‘mean’ could simply be a cultural difference and writing it off as offensive is a sure way to prevent any learning that could occur. The French interact differently than Americans do, and while of course no culture is perfect, it is unfair to both yourself and to others to go through the program in a defensive mindset.
Keeping with the ‘open mind’ theme, I would also advise future program participants not to plan their time abroad excessively, or always expect things to go exactly according to plan. I am personally the type of person who loves to know exactly what I will do in future days/weeks, so I had already planned all of my weekend trips and places in Paris that I would visit before I left. However, I soon found these plans quickly changing. As I made new friends and actually discovered the city for myself, I formed new plans and quickly abandoned all of the plans I had made beforehand in the states. This also applies on a smaller, daily scale. While we all hope that our days will always go smoothly and perfectly, that is not always the case. I frequently found myself held up with metro construction, getting on the wrong train, taking wrong turns on the street, etc. One of the greatest lessons I learned while abroad is how to be adaptable and make the best of the various hiccups that inevitably occur. On this program, I would make sure to be adaptable as possible and know that when things go wrong, it is not the end of the world. On the contrary, a ‘mistake’ might lead to one of the greatest learning opportunities.
Finally, I would encourage participants in this program to be confident in themselves. It is easy to feel small, lost, and clueless when you are on your own in a completely foreign environment. In the beginning, I was so afraid of being judged that I would avoid speaking with Paris residents in French. I would stop myself from asking my coworkers questions because I was afraid of coming off as clueless. However, at the end of the day, you are there to learn. Make mistakes. Ask questions. Take as many risks as you can. Whether others understand it or not, make the most of your time there to learn. Sure, you may feel silly at times, but in the end, you will be glad you put yourself out there.
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