Clemson University '23

Over the Spring 2023 semester, I had the privilege of spending four months studying French in Lyon, France. My coursework consisted of nine French credits and one art history credit, all taken at Université Catholique de Lyon (UCLY). 

 

I couldn’t have imagined a better city to spend my experience abroad. Being the second city in France (a rather serious debate between those in Lyon and Marseille, who also claim this title), Lyon was the perfect place to get a taste of true French culture. Steeped in medieval history, Lyon is a hotspot for Florentine architecture, sharing many qualities with the Italian city. 

 

Luckily for me, Lyon is also considered to be one of the major food capitals of the world. My friends and I often found ourselves having dinner in a traditional Lyonnaise bouchon, a type of restaurant found all over the city. My best advice to anyone who finds themselves on their way to a Bouchon is to arrive hungry and to have an open mind. Lasting anywhere from two to three hours, dinner at a bouchon consists of several courses of self-serve smaller dishes; and wine, don’t forget the wine. 

 

As a pre-med student, most of my coursework at Clemson consisted of STEM and health science. As I had finished all but two required courses prior to my arrival in France, I took the opportunity to take an art history course, something I had wanted to do since high school. The class I took focused on Impressionism and Post-Impressionism, and as France is the birthplace of this style of artwork, the opportunity to view the collections we studied presented itself numerous times. In April, I had the opportunity to travel to Paris, France to visit the Musée d’Orsay and Musée de Luxembourg to view the Manet and Degas exhibit, as well as the personal art collection of Léon Manet, respectively. Having the opportunity to not only study this incredible movement of art in its place of origin, but to actually see them in person and take in their impact and beauty was one of the most privileged experiences I’ve had as a student. 

 

Unlike many of my classmates abroad, I made an effort to stay in Lyon for many of the weekends to get the most out of my experience. In doing so, I was able to tremendously improve my French and explore lesser known parts of the city. However, I was able to travel to other countries in Europe, such as England, the Netherlands, Spain, Austria, Hungary, and Germany. I also had the opportunity to travel across France, visiting small countryside villages and spent time on the beach in Cassis, a town on the French Riviera. 

 

My time in Lyon was one of the most transformative experiences I’ve had in my life thus far. I made so many lifelong friends within my program but also from across the globe. One of my favorite memories was getting to try traditional Chinese food with Taiwanese friends I met at UCLY. I’ve been challenged in many ways I couldn’t have imagined, but each one shaped and formed me into the person I am today.