Dear Office of Study Abroad:

I applied to the Duke in France program on a whim. I was hesitant to study in Paris for four months because I didn't know what to expect, and I worried that my French wasn't good enough. I had studied French since I was six years old, but had not found a practical purpose for my language skills (or for my bread and cheese eating skills, for that matter).

Today, nearly one year since my Parisian experience began, I am happy that I went. I took four courses, all of which were taught in French. I chose courses that dealt with the French war in Algeria, 20th century French history, and 19th century French literature, topics to which I had been exposed at Duke. In France, however, these topics gained a new meaning. I visited the site of an Algerian rebellion, drank "un café" at Au Rocher de Cancale, a café where Balzac dined frequently, and toured the beaches of Normandie where my grandfather landed on D-Day.

I lived with a French family in the 15th arrondisement, a quiet neighborhood just a few blocks from the Tour Eiffel. This living arrangement afforded me an invaluable cultural exchange: By helping the 15 year-old daughter of this family with her English homework, I gained fashion advice (which I sorely needed) in return. If I learned anything from the French, it was how to be "fashion" (as my host sister would say), and also that I'm not a fan of foie gras.

But, aside from my heightened sense of style, my ability to eat bread and brie like no other, and my profound hatred of goose liver, I found that my language skills improved dramatically in a very short time. I also learned quickly to navigate the city streets and metro lines. My favourite times were those spent wandering with only a street map to guide me. Miraculously, I managed to find my way home every time!

– Danna Zabrovsky