Meet Erick - SYA France 2026
Extracurriculars Abroad: During my year in Rennes, I was very involved in many local projects, mostly through Le Conservatoire de Rennes, my church, Eglise Rennes Nord, and clubs at SYA France, L’École Américaine de Rennes.
Favorite SYA Class: My favorite class would have to be French Cinema with Madame Peña. Some of my best memories in Rennes were during the tournages (shooting sessions) of my films in centre-ville with my friends from the local French high school. The practical experience I gained through a class taught entirely in French will stay with me forever.
Favorite Food in France: This is not necessarily the highest quality food in the world, but the food that I have the most sentimental attachment to would be the French tacos at TacoZH right off République. It was one of the first restaurants I discovered when I arrived in Rennes because it is conveniently located next to the metro stop, and the workers there were really friendly. After going almost every other day for a few months, I introduced myself to the workers, and they were surprised that a high school student like myself was doing a year abroad and wanted to hear more about my story. I would definitely recommend it to anyone visiting or staying in Rennes. Tell “Chef” that Erick the American sent you and get the formule étudiante!
How did SYA impact your college search process?
Doing a full year at SYA France allowed me to truly understand what it would be like to study languages in the future and redefined the types of language programs I want to search for moving forward. I already knew that I wanted to find a way to study both French Language and Music Composition, but completing a year abroad while also receiving a rigorous conservatory education as an extracurricular experience really pushed me to make that goal a reality.
SYA gave me a glimpse into what my future could look like and motivated me to push myself further to achieve it. In addition, Rennes is a very interconnected city with many international students and a strong public transportation system. Now that I have experienced living away from home and taking on more responsibilities, I have a much better idea of the type of college town I want to look for and the kinds of opportunities in music and community service that I want in my environment.
Do you have a favorite memory with your host family?
I will always remember going on scenic hikes along the northern coast of Bretagne with my host parents. Rennes is not too far from the coasts of Saint-Malo, the Côte de Granit Rose, and Cap d’Erquy. Since I have so many extracurricular activities, I do not always get the chance to spend personal time with my host family, but whenever we explored a new beach together, it made me feel closer to them as a family. The beautiful rose-gold rock formations, the reflection of the sun off the shore, and even the simple conversations with my host parents are memories that I will never let go of. It is not every day that you are eating a croque-monsieur and watching the sun slowly rise behind open fields of wildflowers on your birthday in Bretagne.
What did you learn abroad that surprised you?
This might sound simple on the surface, but being abroad, away from my family, and completely separated from my old routine pushed me to rely more on others and ask for help. Ever since I was little, being independent and capable has always been something I valued positively, but I think I took it to an extreme.
When I first arrived in Rennes, I overestimated my own capabilities and signed up for far too many activities, thinking I could handle them all. I ignored the warnings of the Student Life Coordinator and my host family to take things one step at a time, and as a result I became burned out very quickly and started falling behind on my schoolwork. I had to humble myself, apologize, and realize that it is okay not to always be in control of everything. In the words of Chris, the Student Life Coordinator, “It is better to do fewer things well than to take on too much and not be able to finish any of them.”
Being at SYA completely changed my perspective on how I complete tasks and organize projects. I now truly understand the importance of delegating work and trusting others to support me. In Rennes, I had one of the strongest support systems I have ever had in my life through the teachers, students, host family, and local French friends, and if it were not for them, my experience abroad would not have been nearly as successful and meaningful as it became.
