COUNTRY: France
PROGRAM: GapBreak
PROJECT: Language and tutoring English
WRITTEN BY: Siobhan Calafiore
So our French adventure has finally come to an end. I don’t think any of us would have ever believed that three months could go that quickly! Before I left I was wondering how I would cope being away from home for that long but in the end I could have easily stayed longer. I remember writing that the hardest part of this trip was getting off the train to meet our host families.
Maybe I was wrong.
For many of us the hardest part was saying goodbye and letting go of what has become our life for the last three months. But it was a different kind of hard. Not the butterflies, the nervousness, the anxiety when the wheels of the train came to a halt but a bittersweet acceptance. Here was a group of people I had come to know and love that I now must leave and may or may not ever see again. It was something that was difficult to get my head around but luckily we have email, facebook and skype to keep these connections going.
Phoebe
Saying goodbye was a lot tougher than Phoebe had anticipated. After having gotten to know her family so well it was hard leaving without knowing when she would see them again. On her last night they reflected over the three months. It was clear that Phoebe had become a part of the family. Her absence wasn’t going to be easy and the family admitted how much they were all going to miss her.
Phoebe is grateful for what she believes has been a unique opportunity to immerse herself in the French culture and to come away with new friends, an unforgettable experience and a much higher level of French. However Phoebe’s travels are not over yet. She has a month in the United Kingdom reuniting with Jess in Scotland and then another month exploring Asia before her return. She says “it makes leaving France easier as I have a lot to look forward to”.
Georgia
Georgia’s last day was celebrated with a barbecue lunch in the garden whilst enjoying the beautiful weather. She was treated to an amazing feast of “gateau de crepes” with tuna, crab, tomato and cucumber, barbecued meats, cheese typical of the region and the most amazing lemon tart. Her host mother’s exceptional cooking was something she was going to miss. The rest of the afternoon was spent by the pool soaking up the July sunshine and chatting with her host sisters.
The next morning before Georgia was driven to the train station she had to say goodbye to everyone for the last time. There was the usual cheek kissing and hugging and nearly a few tears. Promises were made to stay in touch and Georgia was invited to come back anytime she wanted. “It was less of an invitation and more of an expectation”. She says that she is grateful “for their kindness and generosity and for their patience with trying to communicate at times.”
Looking back on the trip Georgia wouldn’t change a thing. She has learned a lot from her family about the French language and culture. She had to learn to think about things differently in order to express herself and to be patient when people didn’t understand. However her ability to speak and understand has improved and watching the French news isn’t so hard anymore.
Another challenge was explaining the history of Australia, especially trying to make the French understand about the history of the Aboriginals and the incredible multiculturalism. These topics the French generally knew little about. “They didn’t realise how many different people have built up Australia” and were shocked that Georgia could buy French cheese at the local supermarket.
However like Phoebe and Jess the journey doesn’t end here for Georgia. She is off to Paris to spend a few days there before heading to Munich. She has planned three more months of travel around Europe and will be visiting family she hasn’t seen in years. Although some do not speak English she is optimistic that it will turn out alright.
Jess
Jess managed to shed a few tears when saying goodbye to her host parents. She says she had the “best experience” having gained a lot of independence, confidence and life experience from the trip. She would recommend it to anyone looking to expand their horizons and improve their French.
However although sad to leave France she is excited to be heading off to the United Kingdom and Croatia where she will be catching up with friends before heading home.
On my last night we had a large celebration with family friends. We ate mussels and fries for dinner, a strawberry tart and a traditional Brittany cake called the “Far” for dessert. Gifts were exchanged, photos taken, bottles of champagne opened and there was lots of loud and terrible singing to famous French songs, dancing and laughter into the early hours of the morning.
The next day after waking up, eating breakfast and showering I was ready to head off to the train station. Although the family made the effort to wake up early and say goodbye, these goodbyes were quick having said everything that needed to be said the night before. A quick glance through the train window expressed more than any words could, a smile, a wave and then that was it.
Although this experience hasn’t changed who I am I believe it has bettered me. I have benefitted from this year in a way that I wouldn’t have at university. After twelve years of school it was time to change tack. Of course this decision led to doubt, worry and constant questioning especially since both my siblings, all my friends and what felt like everyone I knew was heading to university. Sometimes I wondered if I had made the wrong decision.
But there is no right or wrong and I come away from these last three months convinced that a GAP year was the best idea I ever had. Having grown up in a pretty sheltered world being out there by myself was the best thing for me. Although I did have a support network in case things went wrong the experience definitely made me become more independent, responsible, confident and stronger as a person.
Speaking to foreigners in their native tongue, travelling around by myself, teaching a classroom of children, meeting so many new people and adapting to another culture whilst being so far away from my own have all been different challenges that I have conquered along the way.
My French has progressed more than I had ever hoped for. After a year and a half since I completed year 12 French I was amazed how quickly I returned to my former level and then even more amazed how quickly I surpassed it. My comprehension improved the most and by the last week I could understand everything that was being said to me, the conversations around me and even the television without massive strains of concentration.
My spoken French became more fluent, my accent more authentic and by the end of the three months I knew enough to not be limited in what I wanted to say.
The places we have visited, the memories and especially the friendships we have made will never be forgotten. I am grateful to all the people I have met, who have helped me along the way and who have made my trip so memorable.
For all of us this adventure has been everything we had hoped for and more.
And finally to the girls who went on this trip with me
It was so nice to have travelled with you and to have shared some of the best memories with you. I know for a long time we will be reminiscing about this trip and I can’t wait to catch up with you all back in Australia.
Thank you for reading my blog and I guess that’s it from me!
Au revoir
Siobhan
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