It is so interesting looking back to my pre-departure post as I feel like so much has happened in the four weeks that I spent in Angers! I was completely correct about the people of Angers being welcoming; I did not have a single bad experience with the people of the city, the school, or my fellow exchange students. Angers feels like home now, making it more difficult than I originally anticipated to say good-bye although it has only been a month. I learned so much more than French during my time here, and as my previous blogs might hint I am in love with the food culture of France. I was excited to learn more about the foods and meals while I was abroad, and my school and host family worked hard to make sure that we received that experience.

There are four courses to the typical lunch (and slightly less commonly for dinner). The first course is the appetizer which usually is some sort of salad. In the States when we say salad we are usually referring to a green salad, but in France the term is given more generally to many different mixes consisting of fruits, vegetables, meats, and bread served at this time. The main dish is next followed by my favorite course: the cheese course! A small variety of cheese and a refill of bread are necessary; a glass of red wine is optional. The final course of the meal is dessert, although there is very limited space after the first three! The food is different, but the social rules are also different than at home. In France, it is impolite to have your hands out of view (under the table). Instead it is polite it keep them on the table even when not eating. Meals are also a much longer and social occasion than what I was used to. Dinner is always eaten together at the table, and an hour is a short dinner.

I was ignorant to many of the particulars of the culture before my arrival, but I suppose that I did interact with the culture in the way I had envisioned. I embraced the language, my school, and my host family perhaps outside of my comfort zone at times, but it was worth the experience and the knowledge gained. I was surprised how much I did learn because I was worried about a month being so short a time abroad, but I believe the biggest setback in only being abroad four weeks is the desire to stay!

Preparing to return home is bittersweet to say the least. I am terribly excited to see my family and the familiar setting of the United States. There are many things that I miss about home, so I anticipate returning with enthusiasm. On the other hand, I have found that I absolutely love being in France. I love living in Angers and places I have been lucky enough to visit during my time here. I joked with my sister that when I leave I will cry twice: once of sadness for leaving France and once for happiness of returning home.

I will certainly miss the many people I met during my time in France, especially the amazing couple that housed me for four weeks, Therese and Jean:

The other students in my AHA group will also be missed as we spent so much time together and adventured France together:

What I missed most from the US was my family (now if I can just convince them to move to France….)

But especially I missed seeing my 5 month old niece growing so much!

I have continually been amazed and inspired during my time in France, and as my return home approaches at an alarming rate, I hope that I can share even a sliver of my exposure to France. I have not yet left, and I already cannot wait to return!

Safe travels to everyone still abroad!
Maggie