Reflection on Studying Abroad

by: Edward Gustafson, class of 27'

Fall 2025 semester abroad in Lyon, France

France is a place where many of the ideas we hold dear now were founded. France is a place much like the United States; the people, in many ways, are very similar to Americans. The French look like us, talk like us, act like us, and do many more things like we do in America. Though there are differences, they ultimately seem small. That is what I have found in my little time here. I think that France, for anyone who visits, will raise many questions that they must answer. I am not quite sure what these questions are for me, but I do know that I am struggling with them as I live in this foreign yet familiar land.

The French people, and my American colleagues, have been extremely friendly and welcoming. I must admit that this transition has impacted me more than I thought it would and has frightened me more than I thought possible. This experience, whatever the fear it created in me, has seen me through it, which I am grateful for. I think that this educational experience is truly worth any amount of money. While here in France, I have learned many of the basic skills of life for the first time and found that I enjoy them thoroughly.

I have had to budget and speak to people in a foreign tongue, the latter being the most uncomfortable experience. Whatever the discomforts of being far from home, I do love Europe and France for what they are. Being away from home also swells my chest with a deep longing for America, making me look forward to my homeward voyage. Yet this is not to say I want to leave France or Europe behind.

Lyon is a city much like any American city; people wake up and go to school or work. There are beggars and businessmen, rats and rapscallions, men and women all moving through their day. As an American, I feel a kinship with these people; however, as an American, I feel a deep distinction between us. Watching the comings and goings of the city people is interesting. But the distinctions between an American and a European city are not to be looked over. The architecture is naturally different, but so are people's dress and behavior. There is a principle of silence, contrasted by the noise of the city. People dress nicely and speak quietly to each other. There is simultaneously privacy and none at all; people may see you, but they don’t look at you. It is challenging to convey the complexities of urban living in France; for those interested, consider studying abroad.