France
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Memories from Rome
By Zhuzhen Xie (Nina), Babylangues, Paris, France The first weekend of June, I had the opportunity to visit Rome, where I met up with my friend who was a French exchange student in Manchester last year. Before arriving, I struggled to imagine what the city would look like. Having heard about the city from storybooks, travel guides, and all the iconic movies, I was extremely curious and yet a little scared to visit the actual place. Would it be as romantic and ethereal as it appears? Immediately after arriving, I took the bus directly to Vatican City, which is right next to Rome’s city center. After a week of gloomy…
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The Symphony of Paris: Gardens, Musicians, and Everyday Encounters
By Zhuzhen Xie (Nina), Babylangues, Paris, France I love leaving early to take the subway when it is less crowded. The difference that five minutes can make! Just by arriving one minute later, I could have been shoved onto the train and suffocated by heavy coats and mixed odors.
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A Storybook Adventure: Lyon and the Little Prince
By Zhuzhen Xie (Nina), Université Lumière Lyon 2, Lyon, France Just a few days before leaving for the holidays, I finally set up a day to trace the footsteps of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, author of the renowned The Little Prince. Recalling the first time I researched Lyon, the city where I would be living for my study abroad program, my heart leaped as I discovered that it was the hometown of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. Immediately, I was embraced by a soft and familiar comfort as I built a connection to my childhood memories of reading The Little Prince. As it was one of my mother’s favorite books, I had already…
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Market Marvels – a visit to the Saturday markets in Lyon
By Zhuzhen Xie (Nina), Université Lumière Lyon 2, Lyon, France Have you seen the opening scene of Beauty and the Beast? It’s the moment when Belle walks through her hometown, greeting the morning crowd on her way to the library. Showered by the morning freshness, she makes her way through the market, saying good morning to the baker, the food merchants, and the housewives sitting by the street, chatting about this “bizarre” and unusual girl. In the background, Belle opens the scene with a light and joyful tune, which crescendos into a more intense symphony as the townspeople gradually join in.
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A Comprehensive Student Guide to life on a Year Abroad in Rennes
By Isabelle Hatton-Williams, Universite Haute-Bretagne Rennes 2, France So, you’ve made it through your first year. You’ve figured out the balance of student life: cooking semi-decent meals, living with housemates you actually like, and maybe even settling into some sort of routine. Maybe you’re on the hockey team, or maybe you’re on the committee for chess society. And just when you’ve started to feel comfortable, along comes the next big leap: a year abroad. I get it. I was you. I was in love with my routine – knowing where to get the best coffee, where to brunch, knowing where was hot, and where was not. The thought of packing…
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Lights Throuhg Time: La Fête des Lumières
By Zhuzhen Xie (Nina), Université Lumière Lyon 2, Lyon, France As we entered the festive month of December, vibrant neon lights and sparkling snowflakes appeared on apartment doors, shop windows, and streetlamps overnight. Just a few weeks before the long-anticipated family gatherings and holiday feasts at the end of the month, Lyon invites its residents and visitors to another flamboyant spectacle: La Fête des Lumières.
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Rolling in Comfort
By Zhuzhen Xie (Nina), Université Lumière Lyon 2, Lyon, France “Would you like to come over and make cinnamon rolls?” my friend texted me. Although I hesitated for a few minutes, thinking about the full day of classes and exams ahead, I thought of the relaxation I would feel from a baking session after a long day. “Yes, let’s do it!”
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Memories from a Mixing Bowl
By Zhuzhen Xie (Nina), Université Lumière Lyon 2, Lyon, France It has been two months since I started my residence abroad in Lyon, France. Among all the exciting changes in environment and lifestyle, I found myself a little baffled by the challenges of language and adaptation that would take some time to overcome. However, I think I have discovered one way to find my own rhythm: baking. After a busy week, I would spend an afternoon in the kitchen, playing with sugar, butter, and flour while listening to the soft tunes of the cello or piano. With my successful attempts, I would share the results with my friends who lived…
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On The Road: Paris Year Abroaders Take on Bordeaux
By Andrea Finlay, Sciences Po Paris, France With university classes and exams finished, it was only right for the year abroad team in Paris to start our adventures around French cities. As the end of april fast approached us, so did the end of exams and assessments. So it was only natural for my friends and I to celebrate by taking a short weekend trip to Bordeaux.
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Settling In by the Seine
by Andrea Finlay, Sciences Po Paris, France Buildings on my walk to university, Sciences Po Paris Moving to paris has been as incredible and as daunting as you can imagine. It’s practically a parallel universe to Fallowfield. Instead of New Zealand wines at the bottom of the road, I have Notre Dame Cathedral. The 143 Stagecoach bus is now the metro line 10 and sunny days in platt fields have now turned into heatwave picnics under the Eiffel tower.
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“I thought it was a joke when I was told about a Netball Club in Paris”
By Andrea Finlay, Sciences Po Paris, France Netball Paris Training Sessions In September 2023, I moved to Paris on my own as part of my study abroad year and I was of the stubborn opinion that I would not meet friends like the ones I had back at home. Even less, did I think that I would make enriching friendships through a netball club in the centre of Paris.
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“Let Them Eat Cake” : Day Out at Versailles
By Andrea Finlay, Sciences Po, Paris, France One of the many bonuses of doing a year abroad in Paris is that I am only a short commute from some of the world’s most famous landmarks.
