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Let’s talk about food (Part 2)
In part one of this reflection, I examined how the prospect of a tip and the differing expectations of politeness shape the contrasting restaurant experience in France and the US. Here, I will unpack the second cultural nuance that divides the two countries: our understanding of food, its value, and its place in our lives. …
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On returning home: Let’s talk about food (part 1)
Once again, I am in the United States of America, this time in the throws of reverse culture shock. How can a place feel so familiar and yet so grinding on my senses, almost repulsive at times? Rather than returning straight home to Nashville, my first week back was spent in the lovely Southwest Harbor,…
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Welcome to Caen! A little bit about my home
My home away from home during these 9 months abroad is a city called Caen. Caen lies a little ways north-west of Paris in the region of Normandy. About a 20 minute bus from the English Channel, or la Manche in French, Caen is a beautiful, mid-sized city with a rich history, a surprising number…
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French Learning Update: 3 Months In
Here I am, three months into my study abroad experience. I wrote a post after my first week about my initial experiences trying to use French in France. I hadn’t even started school yet then, so an update is definitely in order. One semester is nearly gone and already so much has changed. To begin…
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Deer in the Headlights: A Short Reflexion
It is my first week in France and I feel like a deer in the headlights whenever I speak French. I thought I’d be okay with five years of study under my belt. I knew I was far from fluent, but I’d received compliments from professors and had successful conversations with native speakers in the…
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Bonjour à tous!
Bonjour et bienvenue à mon blog! My name is Jael Guest and I’m a native of Nashville, Tennessee. I am also a Buchanan Honors student in my second year studying French and Arabic at Middle Tennessee State University. This year, I set out for Caen, Normandy to improve my French, kick myself out of my…
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Read BEFORE applying for a French Visa
Though few of my posts will cover advice on the logistical side of study abroad, my experience obtaining a visa was so painful that I am devoting today’s post entirely to the subject. First, here’s a quick retelling of how it went for me. A year ago, when I first started planning to study abroad,…
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5 Resources for Intermediate French
I remember when I hit the intermediate stage in my French learning. Near the end of high school, I realized my skills were too basic to understand native spoken French. At the same time, I was too advanced to gain much from beginner resources on the internet. This level is hard because there’s still so…