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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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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.
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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.
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Weekend Trips from Toulouse – Exploring the South of France
by Sarah Cross, Sciences Po Toulouse, France Despite the impact of the strikes (see my previous post!), the trains both within and beyond the Occitane region of France have allowed me and my friends to visit lots of other towns and cities nearby. To make it even better, at the start of each months, some of these regional trains cost only 1 euro!!! We recently made the most of this with a trip to Avignon, Nîmes and Montpellier.
A study abroad journal by students, for students.
