Meet CHRISSY - SYA FRANCE 2023
Extracurriculars Abroad: I did Pilates several times a week at a French gym with a few friends. It was a lot of fun to try to understand the language in a more athletic environment. Aside from that, I also gave English lessons to a French boy once a week!
Favorite SYA Class: Art History! Not only was my teacher a total rockstar, but the class was just so lively, and we all were excited to learn about the French historians who shaped architecture and art today.
Favorite Foods in France: It's hard to choose between two in particular. I absolutely love "La Tarte de Tomate", as it's a very light meal that's refreshing and warm and quite unique with its tangy dijon mustard base. However, if I'm feeling for a heavier dish, I would 100% go for the kebab. I had the best kebab of my life in Paris at a street vendor called "Impact". These two foods were definitely integral parts of my French culinary experience.
School You Attend: Deerfield Academy
Q: How was your host family experience?
A: My host family experience was an interesting one! At first it was a little scary, because I was really nervous to engage with new people; I barely knew the language and that made the situation a bit more terrifying. However, they were very kind to me and encouraged me to talk at dinners! We did a lot of activities together like going bowling, seeing films, and going to farmers markets. All in all, it was a great experience!
Q: What did you learn abroad that surprised you?
A: That the people really enjoy their downtime! My host family skied a lot, and even when people weren't skiing, they were spending lots of time bonding with their family. I thought that was amazing, that people really valued the moments they had with their loved ones!
Q: How has/did SYA impact your college search process?
A: When I was researching colleges, I made sure to only look for schools that offered study abroad programs in varying locations worldwide. I especially tried to look for schools that offered year-long programs as well, especially since I found that the year-long alternative is way more efficient for language learning.