Studying in France as Americans: One Calendar Year in the Books
The month of August has come to an end and so has the first calendar year of our master’s degree studies in France! Jalen and I are thankful for the time we’ve had in France thus far pursuing our degrees at the Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne in Logistics and Public Law respectively, and we look forward to continuing our adventure throughout the next year of our studies. Here’s what we did this month.
This last weeks of summer were mostly spent soaking in our time away from academia and preparing for the second year of our master’s degrees. We’ve been filing away notes from last year, taking stock of our supplies, and imagining what the new school year will be like. As of now, we’re excited that classes are to be held on campus and not online. Though the upcoming year will likely be challenging, we are looking forward to learning and progressing in our fields.
Since August 9th, France’s pass sanitaire, or health pass, system has been in full swing. The health pass can be acquired either with a negative COVID-19 test or with a completed vaccination status and allows holders to drink at bars, eat at restaurants, and enter other public places in France. Having been fully vaccinated since July, Jalen and I have had no trouble using our health passes via the TousAntiCovid application.
As usual, Jalen and I spent time outdoors together and enjoyed the mostly cool August temperatures in Reims. We even celebrated the two year anniversary of our first blog post by sharing a tropézienne à la framboise in the gardens of the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims. It was gratifying to reflect on all we have accomplished in the two years since we started The Francofile, and trying a new French dessert was an added bonus.
In other news, Jalen’s internship came to a close at the end of the month. From the first day to the last, he had a fulfilling experience that pushed him to grow professionally and made him even more confident in his choice to pursue a degree in Logistics and Supply Chain Management. After working hard for months and building a rapport with his colleagues and superiors, Jalen was hired to stay on the team! He signed a contract to complete an alternance, or a work-study internship, that will have him alternate between one week of classes and one week of work throughout the entire school year.
Finally, August 28th marked one calendar year since our arrival in Reims to pursue our master’s degrees. So much has transpired in the last year! We moved into our second French apartment, settled into the city of Reims that we now call home, endured two lockdowns and nationwide curfews, finished our Master 1 year with honors, squeezed in a bit of traveling and relaxation, and so much more. We’re eager to see what our next year in France has in store for us!
What has changed in your life over the previous year? Are you headed to school this fall? If you have any questions or want to know more about our experience, let us know in a comment.
Check out this month’s update video!
Check out our other monthly updates!
- September 2020
- October 2020
- November 2020
- December 2020
- January 2021
- February 2021
- March 2021
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- May 2021
- June 2021
- July 2021
- September 2021
- October 2021
- November 2021
- December 2021
- January 2022
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- June 2022
- July 2022
- August 2022
- September & October 2022
4 Comments
Lisa Fleury
Congratulations for making it through a successful masters year in Reims, you two! And what a year, Covid and all.
Maria, your grades were amazing! I hope you have recovered your well being over the summer. Don’t be too anxious about M2, just do your best, but be mindful that we need to keep ourselves in good shape first and foremost, so no overstressing! Practice some techniques (relaxation, yoga, sophrologie, mindfulness, other?) Lots of associations start their activities in September. Personally I am trying to get back in the water where I feel good!
Congratulations Jalen on the alternance position! Both my children studied en alternance, and I think it is a fabulous program. I look forward to your explanations in a future video so others can discover it and see if it is right for them. Your company is lucky to have you. It is a great opportunity to learn hands on in the field.
Your videos, blog, and Insta are great; I recommend them to all my former study abroad students. Thank you, and enjoy another year in Reims! Please let me know if/when you come to Paris. Lisa Fleury
Jalen & Maria
Thank you for the kind words and encouragement. We will make sure to keep our social media updated as the year continues, and if we find ourselves in Paris, we will let you know!
Maurice
Thanks Jalen and Maria for yet another wonderful blog.
Special shout out to Jalen: I am so thrilled you were hired chosen to stay on with company you did your internship with.
As you make your way into the “alternance program,” I would love to get your thoughts on the “charge de travail” (work load). Do you think it’s easy, just right or too much, given you’ll be working one week and studying the next.
It’s really exciting how your are truly making your way into the workforce and we’re all here witnessing it with our own eyes.
Rooting on both you, and Maria, from the sidelines.
Thanks for being such an inspiration for all of us.
Maurice
Jalen & Maria
Thank you Maurice for your support. We will surely share content about the alternance experience in France!