Meet Anna - SYA France 2018

 

 

Co-Curriculars Abroad: Yoga
 
Favorite SYA Class: French Politics 
 
Favorite Food in France: Granola brand chocolate cookies
 
College Attending: University of Pennsylvania 
 
 

How did you come to the decision to attend SYA?

I have been taking French for 13 years, and I love traveling, so when the opportunity came up to spend a year abroad, I leapt at the chance!

What did you learn in your year abroad that surprised you?

I was surprised that a group of 50 kids from all across the states could bond together like a family within nine months. 

Do you have a particularly special host family moment?

My favorite moment with the Cormier family was when my family came over from the states and we all had Christmas dinner together. Just seeing my two worlds collide like that was amazing to me.

At SYA, the curriculum lives in and outside the classroom, what memorable educational experience did you have outside the classroom?

I think my favorite outside experience was the trip to Paris. We went to so many cool museums, did a tour of Hemingway’s favorite hangouts, and I witnessed my first Parisian snow!

How was your education at SYA different than at your high school?

The French immersion was something that definitely set SYA apart. At home, it was much harder to get much French speaking practice in, but at SYA I was encouraged to speak French all the time. 

What advice would you give to someone who is considering SYA?

My first piece of advice is to never be afraid. You’re at SYA because you’re independent and willing to go out on a limb. If you have an opportunity to do something cool and different, do it! My second piece of advice is to follow the packing list. Don’t bring too many clothes! You will go shopping and you will not wear your American clothes as much. 

How did your year abroad change you?

I am definitely more of an independent person now. 

How did SYA impact your college application process?

I now know more about what I want to study, and with that I could look more in to major offerings at colleges to make sure they had what I wanted.

What life skills do you feel like you learned while at SYA?

I am much better now at socializing with strangers. It’s hard enough talking to someone you don’t know, but having to talk to someone you don’t know in a language you only kind of understand is a learning experience that definitely helped me. 

To learn more about SYA France, check out the France Campus page.