Studying in France as Americans: Hectic and Entertaining Student Life
The month of November went by in a blur as Jalen and I continue to tackle our master’s degrees in Logistics and Public Law at the Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne. Between work, school, and new experiences, the days passed quickly. Keep reading for all the details about what we’ve been up to recently.
One of the most exciting parts of the month was attending a Campus France event at the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs in Paris. To celebrate Campus France’s 10th anniversary, Jalen and I were invited to a gathering of representatives of French higher education institutions, agents who work in international relations, higher education, and research, Campus France’s partners, Campus France personnel, alumni, and other E-Ambassadeurs. It was a pleasure to make new connections and spend the evening in France’s capital city.
Another important development took place when Jalen‘s renewed student residence permit was approved, printed, and ready for pickup at the Sous-Préfecture de Reims. Mine, however, is still under review, despite submitting exactly the same documents at the same time as Jalen. Instead of a renewed residence permit, I’m on my second extension certificate, which allows me to continue going to school while my residence permit renewal is processing. This is a poignant example of the fact that two people almost never have the same experience with French administration.
The last few weeks of school have been unusually busy for me. My schedule this year varies widely from week to week, and there has been no shortage of lengthy lectures recently. Moreover, I prepared and gave multiple oral presentations that hold considerable weight for my final grades this semester. I’m trying to stay afloat by completing some schoolwork each day, but this month has admittedly been tiring!
Jalen has made big strides on his long-term work project that makes up an important part of his alternance, or internship. It’s not always easy to make progress while also completing the necessary daily tasks of the job, but Jalen’s diligent work and dedication makes it possible.
Thankfully, amidst our efforts at school and work, we made time to have some fun together. A new donut shop opened in Reims called Donuts Time, and we were dying to try it! They offer unique donuts with interesting flavor combinations for a reasonable price. We really enjoyed the lemon meringue donut.
We also made our first visit to the Christmas Market here in Reims. With 135 stands selling food, drinks, and novelties, we were mesmerized! I was disappointed last year that the Christmas Market was cancelled because of the pandemic, and I’m so grateful that it’s possible to safely attend this year. We’ll definitely go again before the end of the year!
We also tested a new restaurant that opened downtown called Berliner Das Original. We found that the food was fresh and tasty. It will definitely be added to our go-to list of downtown eateries.
Finally, we won free tickets to yet another soccer game at the Stade Auguste Delaune to watch our home team, Stade de Reims, take on Clermont Foot 63. Thanks to the local transportation company in Reims, CITURA, we watched our team win 1-0!
This action-packed month was both exciting and exhausting. Let us know what November looked like chez vous and leave your questions for us in a comment!
Check out this month’s update video!
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Check out our evening at the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs!
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