Eager to leave his hometown and explore a new part of the world, Jett Flaxman had some initial concerns about adjusting to life in France. He worried he might get “tired of hearing French all the time” or become “worn down by all of these strange new things.” Instead, he was pleasantly surprised to find that “living outside of the country, and living in Paris specifically, was pretty seamless.”
Jett credited this smooth transition to his proactive efforts to maintain connections to the U.S. He advises future students to “plan for yourself” and incorporate activities “you enjoy doing that remind you of home.” For him, this meant finding American food and making regular calls to his family, which helped him to “feel connected to home and not feel lost.”
With a small cohort of just 15 students, Jett felt a strong sense of community. “We’re all friendly… I have class with almost everybody and we all live together.” This closeness was enhanced by numerous program-organized excursions. He recalls the end-of-orientation day trip to Champagne as a unifying experience. Other highlights included a visit to La Comédie Française (the French National Theatre), one of the oldest and most prestigious theaters in France, which he described as “such a treat” and very funny, and the Halloween trivia and pumpkin carving activities.
Jett's primary goal for studying in France was to improve his conversational French, and he found ample opportunities outside the classroom. Attending a public event at Reid Hall featuring a screening of Le Théroème de Marguerite and a conversation with director Anna Novion, he was pleased to follow the French dialogue well. Additionally, he connected with his old French professor’s host family from her study abroad at Reid Hall 15 years ago, frequently joining them for three-hour dinners. “It was a really good benchmark to see how far my French has come,” he said.
Although he took exclusively elective courses during his semester in Paris, Jett had no regrets about needing to catch up on major requirements later. “I would rather have done this and crammed all of my liberal arts courses into this Paris atmosphere,” he said, appreciating the perfect setting for exploring his other interests. Once disinterested in museum visits, Jett embraced a newfound enthusiasm for his 19th-century French painting course. His newfound understanding of how historical events were reflected in artistic movements made for a course he’d be sad to say goodbye to.
Reflecting on his semester, Jett noted, “Something about my perspective on this place made me able to take a step back and have less of a rigid schedule.” His advice to future students: “Find ways to strike a good balance of maximizing your time here while also enjoying the everyday.”
Learn more about the French Immersion program.
