Looming above the students is the Eiffel Tower. The structure is iconic but also serves as a reminder that they are finally in the country and culture they love so much.
Hillsdale students spent the summer taking classes in France to polish their language skills and experience the French culture.
“Studying in Paris enabled me to connect my affinity for French literature and history to actual French people,” Junior Jenna Adamson said.
Students can study for one to three months in France. Professor of French Marie-Claire Morellec visits the students and takes them on a three-day tour of Paris. She focuses on smaller museums that attract less tourists.
“We try to do things they would not do on their own, and I insist on that because it’s easy to be a tourist in Paris,” Morellec said. “It’s really important to me that they discover a Paris that’s a little more intimate.”
Morellec insists the students stay with families so they can get the full foreign experience.
“I think that staying with a family gives every student an opportunity to be initiated into French culture in a way that cannot be done if you stay in a dorm, for example,” Morellec said. “I think that’s essential so they have a better understanding of the country but also of how families are, and how people are in general.”
From eating habits to appearance, students began to see distinct differences. Junior Jenna Adamson saw differences in style.
“They don’t really like American commercialization, and I think — at this moment at least — they pride themselves on natural beauty,” Adamson said.
Hillsdale students discovered the French frequently take much longer to eat, drawing out courses over an hour or two for most meals.
“Meals are not just for eating food or nourishment,” Morellec said. “Meals are an opportunity for discussion, for sharing, for discussion, for being convivial. In that sense it is really much more important to have a nice conversation around the table with the meal than it is to simply eat your food because you need a certain amount of protein or calories.”
Because of all the tourism and students from other countries who were studying French, Hillsdale students were exposed to a wide range of cultures besides that of their host country.
“I thought it was really cool that I got to live with people from Spain, England, Colombia, and China all in one house,” Junior Rachel Fernelius said. “It was just interesting to learn about their cultures too and have a common language in French.”
