A hidden perk of doing a year abroad

By Rose Vollum, University of Amsterdam, Netherlands

One of the hidden perks of international study is getting to visit fellow year-abroaders. It means you have free accommodation and a knowledgeable tour guide for a weekend away! After eight months apart, Emily and I decided it was about time we visited each other in our respective cities. Emily is currently studying French in Lyon, while I’m doing geography in Amsterdam.

Planning the best way to see each other proved difficult. All flights from Lyon to Amsterdam were hellishly expensive so, after much deliberation we decided that we could firm the 14-hour FlixBus. The plan was for Emily to visit me in Amsterdam for three days, and then I would head to Lyon with her for another three days.

On Monday evening, Emily arrived for the Amsterdam leg of our exchange. Both of us were a bit worse for wear—Emily had come from a festival in Paris, and I had just waved off five friends who had visited for my birthday. So, in need of rest, we popped out for dinner before returning home for a well-deserved early night.

The following day, revitalized, we secured Emily a bike and began touring the city! I took her to all my favourite cafés in West and showed her around Museumplein. In the evening, we cheffed up dinner at home then hopped between bars in Jordaan.

On Wednesday, given the uncharacteristically warm weather, we visited Vondelpark and met up with some friends for a picnic. With our whistle-stop tour of Amsterdam complete, it was time to head to the coach station for our journey to Lyon.

To our relief, the 14-hour coach ride proved better than expected! We chatted for the first couple of hours, enjoyed a sandwich, and then napped for the rest.

At 11 a.m., we were awoken by the French sunshine and hopped off the bus. After a brief tram ride, we arrived at Emily’s, she is staying in a gorgeous house owned by a French woman who’s there three days a week. The place is very tastefully decorated, and it certainly felt like a step up from my Amsterdam student accommodation.

After a quick change, we set out to seize the day. To my delight, Emily told me we would be hiring bikes and we peddled over the Pont la Feuillée bridge into town. Once parked, we went to a bakery for my first French sweet treat—a pain au chocolat, which I enjoyed in front of the Basilica of Notre Dame of Fourvière.

Post-snack, we caught the funicular up to the Fourvière Basilica Terrace, a stunning 17th-century church, where the viewing platform offers panoramic sights of the city. Satisfied with our day of touring, we cycled back to Emily’s, excited for a night in a proper bed.

The next morning, we woke up bright and early for our day trip to Annecy, a lovely alpine town a two-hour bus ride from Lyon. It was one of Emily’s favourite places to take visitors, and I could see why. The combination of mountains, a glacial river, and brightly coloured French houses made it feel as though we were in a toy town.

We soaked up some sights, perused the market, then wandered down to the lake to hire a pedalo. We were practically the only ones out on the water, so cruised around the entire lake and went for a very chilly dip. Once our hour was up, we returned to town to get a sandwich, which we later enjoyed while looking out over the lake.

Sadly, Sunday marked the final day of our exchange. With the sun beaming, we headed into Lyon to do some vintage shopping and see some final sights. I managed to find a lovely denim skirt, and Emily got a couple of tops.

It was then time for my last scenic snack. We opted for a bagel and a pain aux raisins, which we enjoyed while looking out over the Rhône. The water looked extra appealing given the heat of the day, so we walked down the canal to find a place to swim. We chilled along the bank for a couple of hours, debriefing the highlights of our trip before I headed to the coach station.