From France to the White House

Spring 2012, Exchange: Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris (Sciences Po), France

If I had not studied abroad, I am certain that I would not be where I am today; there are few things in life for which I can say this with such confidence. I believe that study abroad informs my daily decisions, thoughts, memories, and expectations for the future. 

My study abroad journey began my freshman year of college when I declared International Affairs as my major and later, French as a minor. I studied French throughout middle school and high school, so it was a relatively easy transition to French-centric studies for me at CU Boulder. By that point in my life, I had already traveled to Japan as part of a high school exchange program. I believe this is where I caught the travel bug! Tiny Eiffel towers danced in my head for years before I was finally able to open a study abroad application.

By the end of my sophomore year, I had an open Spring 2012 application for the Institut d’Etudes Sciences Politiques (colloquially called SciencesPo) in Paris, France. This program is one of many exchanges that CU Boulder maintains with universities around the world, and was attractive to me in particular because of its focus on French-language coursework in international affairs and political science. I was cautioned about the difficulty of this program because it truly does emphasize linguistic and cultural immersion. I chose to live with a French host family and take a combination of courses instructed in French and English to give myself the best shot at learning the language without drowning in it.

My study abroad program began in January 2012, amidst one of the coldest winters on record for Europe. I was constantly in awe of my new host city, which held true to all given monikers-- it is easy to fall in love with Paris. SciencesPo is filled with some of the brightest minds of Europe, and I soon found that the privilege of attending such a university did not come with an easy workload. However, no amount of wi-fi problems, reading overload, or frustrating metro rides could overshadow the country I had grown to love through photographs and films. I traveled to Germany, Ireland, England, and the Czech Republic during some weekends and school breaks, which offered me only a small glimpse into my ever-growing universe.

Amidst my post-study abroad cultural re-adjustment and loneliness for Notre Dame, I was hired as a peer advisor for the CU study abroad office. I learned about all the different types of experiences that students can have abroad other than my own. I enjoyed hearing other alumni speak about their own experiences with new favorite foods, crazy public transportation, and a similar longing to be abroad once more. While in France, I learned that everyone else seemed to know more about American politics than I did, which helped me decide to apply for an internship at the White House.

Interning in the Office of Scheduling and Advance brought some of the same highs and lows of study abroad, including a unique form of cultural adjustment. I know that some people choose interning instead of studying abroad, so I feel fortunate to have experienced both. Washington D.C. and Paris are inherently tied, so it was only natural for me to move here and bring my study abroad memories with me. During the internship (among a number of unique moments along the way), I was able to attend the French Arrival Ceremony for President Francois Hollande. This was a deeply personal event for me that I know would not be nearly as meaningful without my French background.

It would be easy to say that I studied abroad because it led me to concrete goals a, b, and c: to get a job, to have a fuller resume, and to have proficient language skills. In reality, I studied abroad because even now, two years later, I cannot help but smile at the memory of my French host family. I pass a French-speaking couple on the National Mall and cannot help but crane my neck to try and discern their accent. When faced with a difficult task, I am calmed by the fact that nothing will ever be as challenging as ordering my first French baguette in a bustling boulangerie on a Monday morning. 

I now work at the Alliance for Global Education in Washington D.C. on programs that send students to China and India. Mine is a very literal tie between study abroad and my future career. However, I think that the experiences I had abroad would relate to any job. You don’t truly know what’s out there until you go and see it yourself, so I leave with these few words-

Go abroad, for as long and as often as possible!




 

Last Updated June 2015