I’ve spent countless hours practicing the piano here, working on music projects for Resonances Rennaises—the Music Service club I founded—and also jamming out with friends on the bottom floor of the SYA France Campus. It was one of the first things that made me feel at home and integrated on campus, and I have been able to make countless connections through my music playing before and after school.

This was the first outing I went on with my host family during my first weeks in Rennes. They were super welcoming and interested in learning more about my culture and background, while still showing me different aspects of Breton culture through the castle architecture. Exploring Le Château de Fougères and getting to know my host family is an unforgettable experience I'll carry with me even after my SYA year is over. 
 

This photo was taken at our SYA Formal, one of the last events before the departure of the S1 students, with my friends Max and Eli. They have contributed so much to my SYA experience, and this photo is one of the nicest photos I have of all three of us together at the SYA Campus with our Student Life Coordinator, Chris, who has also helped all three of us tremendously throughout our time here. Super memorable night with food, a student DJ, and fellowship with our SYA friends.

Our first weeklong field study with the school in Bordeaux really allowed the entire student body to come closer together, and despite SYA France only having thirty students that semester, going to Bordeaux really made me realize how many people I hadn’t actually gotten the chance to know. This photo was my first time hanging out with those students at the fair, or fête foraine, in Bordeaux, and I was able to become so much closer to them through that experience.