“Every year, students and teachers travel to Angers, France, for the chance to study abroad and truly experience French culture for a month. The trip included many phenomenal sites, provided educational tours, broadened horizons, and made friendships and connections that will last a lifetime. The experience was a once in a lifetime event, and I wouldn’t trade my time in France for nothing. From learning French cuisine, culture, agriculture, sustainability and the language to visiting places such as Paris, Normandy, castles and beaches, the trip was well worth the time and money!

The trip started right in Paris, France after a very long flight across the Atlantic Ocean. Once in Paris, we met our program coordinators as well as the other students and faculty participating in the one-month program. Students came from around the United States as well as Argentina and Kazakhstan. We stayed in Paris a grand total of three days and saw just about everything we could in that little amount of time. The Eiffel Tower, Sacre Coeur Basilica, Montmatre, the Louvre Museum, Arc de Triomphe, and Notre Dame were just a few of the main attractions we were privileged to see on our three-day “death march” of Paris. It was also in Paris several of us were introduced to the concept of hostels, which are establishments or guest houses where students and travelers may find food and lodging for a reasonable price. I was very impressed with the concept of hostels and enjoyed the atmosphere of them throughout our trip. After enjoying Paris thoroughly (maybe a little too thoroughly), we finally said goodbye and made our way to Angers, France where we would spend the remainder of the trip. We arrived in Angers after spending a night in Amboise, France, where we experienced one of our first French farmer’s markets.

In Angers, we bid our fellow students and travel companions goodbye in a nervous sweat and were eagerly welcomed with open arms by our host families. My brother and I were placed with the same family, Sylvie and her daughter, Margeaux. Sylvie owned her own store located in the shopping district of Angers, and Margeaux worked as a masseuse. They opened their lives and their flat to us and were very accommodating. Sylvie introduced us to several classic French food dishes and helped us with our French language barrier immensely.

Once we reached Angers, school and a regular classroom routine began. We attended classes at the Ecole Superieure d’Agriculture (ESA) facilities five days a week. Classes included subjects such as French lessons, French culture, French food and its history, French history, sustainable development in agriculture, wine making and tasting, bread making, French agriculture in general, and more. The lessons were supplemented with weekly field trips to farms, coops, markets, vineyards, and various other locations to provide concrete examples for us. For example, when we learned about sustainable development and food product labels, we visited a dairy farm that made cheese and had several examples of sustainable development and had three special labels for its product. Several visits were made to farms, orchards, factories, and other places. On weekends, we travelled most of the time to different historical sites and towns, such as Omaha and Utah Beaches in Normandy, Mont Saint-Michel, Saint-Malo, etc. On our two free weekends, we were free to do what we pleased. At the end of the program, there was one final get together meal, and we said goodbye to our hosts, teachers, and coordinators before going back to Paris for an afternoon and then home.

Overall, this trip was a huge eye-opener for me. It was so good to learn from France and her people about several aspects of agriculture and to respect and appreciate the differences between France and the United States. I was definitely able to come back with the ability to see and listen to different points of view as well as opinions and how some people just think differently and value different things. This trip has provided me with knowledge I can use for the future and has helped me further develop my communication skills as well as broaden my thinking in agriculture. Forcing me to step outside my comfort zone is another aspect this trip that I feel will be beneficial in my goals to become a 4-H educator and work in agriculture. I would encourage any person with the chance to study abroad to seize the opportunity and never look back!”