The summer of 2024 in Saumur, France was a life-changing experience for me that changed how I see the world and introduced me to a new culture, while also giving me a newfound self-confidence in being independent and traveling by myself. While in Saumur, I improved my French immensely and have improved to the point that I am nearly fluent. I formed meaningful relationships with my host family and other IUHPFL participants that mean the world to me. Highlights from my time there include tasting all the yummy pastries and spending quality time with my spunky host family.
Now, I am studying computer science at Temple University in Tokyo, Japan. My IUHPFL experience gave me the confidence to move across the world by myself in pursuit of my dreams. It inspired me to learn about new cultures, new languages, and to travel more. I am the leader of the French Club at my university which has helped me retain my French and allowed me to continue to learn about the culture with others who also speak or are learning French. I definitely plan to go back to Saumur in the coming years, and I will most likely study abroad for a semester or two in France!
