I am now halfway through my program, and I will come home in a few weeks! I’ve honestly seen a lot, such as the palace of Versailles, the Eiffel Tower sparkling at night, and the Arc De Triomphe. I’ve been inside the Louvre, walked around Montmartre, and I even took an hour-long train to Giverny to see inside Monet’s gardens. I saw Monet’s home and even the spot where his famous water lily painting was inspired. It is so beautiful in France, as expected!
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On Saturday, I am going to take a two-hour train ride to Normandy to visit Deauville for a day trip to the beach, and next week I will be flying to Italy to explore Naples, the Amalfi Coast, and Pompeii! The culture here has changed how I identify myself at home in many ways. Some examples include: I am not as picky, and I’m open to trying new foods; my sense of style has changed; and just by listening to conversations with locals, I am picking up more French, and my pronunciation of French words is getting much better! The French are very nice people and very understanding. One thing I am not familiar with here, compared to life back in America, is that most people speak at least two different languages. I have adjusted pretty well to life in France. I've even had people ask me for directions because they mistook me for a local.
There have been a few culture shocks, though, for example, I am not used to the balanced work life; my boss at my internship would often let me leave early or wouldn’t ask me to come in if I was sick. This is something I am not used to in America, so I often felt like I was doing something wrong and feared getting fired. There are also many national holidays in France, where basically everyone has the day off. I coped with this feeling by giving myself pep talks and reminding myself it’s okay, I’m not doing anything wrong, and I am just not used to this way of life.
Another culture shock I experienced was the metro system. Navigating public transportation in a foreign country in a foreign language is hard. There are over 10 metro lines that serve different parts of the city. There were even times I got on the wrong metro and had to reroute. The best way to get through this challenge is to just keep taking the metro until you get used to it; practice makes perfect.
As for my internship, I’ve learned how to chart patient information in French and even learned about the public healthcare system they use, known as “carte vitale”. This is basically their healthcare insurance card. In France, if they are contributing members who pay social security, the government will cover all healthcare services, which is honestly really unique, and I enjoy learning about this since it’s so different from the U.S.!
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