Studying in France as Americans: Diligent Work and Unique Experiences
Maria and I have spent another month following our dream of living, studying, and working in France. As American master’s degree students in Public Law and Logistics at the Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, we have been keeping busy, but have made extra efforts this month to balance things out with lots of leisurely activities. Keep reading to see what we have been up to during the month of April!
Even though we didn’t expect any April Fools’ Day jokes to come our way, we started the month off with some very cold and snowy weather. We were happy that warmer weather had arrived the previous week, but the cold snap forced us to briefly get our coats back out.
When the weather restabilized, we made sure to take advantage of it by spending time outside and exploring Reims. We visited a museum in the heart of the city that we had never been to before called the Musée de la Reddition. The museum is dedicated to World War II, and more specifically the surrender of Nazi Germany in Reims which ended the war in Europe.
On sunny days in Reims, we never miss an opportunity to sip on granité, or icees. We got our first ones of the season and enjoyed them in front of the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims.
In addition, we had the chance to discover Reims’ new Basses Promenades, an outdoor leisure space that boasts water fountains, playgrounds, and a one-of-a-kind carrousel adorned with rémois landmarks.
As for our obligations as final-year master’s degree students, we both had lots to do this month. As I no longer have classes to go to, I am working full time at my alternance, continuing my at-work project, and writing my alternance report. I was lucky enough to get to do some field research for my project by going to the SITL 2022, a transport and logistics innovation convention in Paris, France. It was great to meet different people and companies in order to work towards solving real logistical problems.
Maria has been hard at work on her master’s thesis. Fortunately, as her class load begins to wind down, this month has allowed her to really focus on her research. Whether it’s checking out new books from the library, noting down interesting research ideas, or just writing for hours on end, she has made a lot of progress this month.
The last thing that we did this month was enjoy a relaxing three-day weekend from the 16th to the 18th, as the Monday after Easter is a public holiday in France. It was a great opportunity for Maria and I to spend some time together, take the weekend slow, do some spring cleaning, and get rejuvenated.
How did you spend the month of April? Have a question or want to know more? Let us know in a comment!
Check out this month’s update video!
Check out our other monthly updates!
- September 2020
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- January 2021
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Check out our vlog to hang out with us in Reims!
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