Bittersweet
It is challenging for me to conjure up words to even begin to fully describe my experience with The Village Program, Pontlevoy, and my travels across Europe. The only thing that comes close to accurately describing this life experience is an excerpt from The Courtship of Miles Standish VI. Priscilla by William Henry Longfellow. It reads:
“For there are moments in life,
when the heart is so full of emotion,
That if by chance it be shaken,
or into its depths like a pebble
Drops some careless word, it
overflows, and its secret,
split on the ground like water,
can never be gathered together.”
How do I begin to describe to some of the people I love most on this Earth experiences I have had abroad that I know are impossible for them to truly grasp? How do I expect them to understand how much I already miss sitting in a windowsill of the abbey with the window open reading a book or playing countless games of tarot at Le Commerce with some of the most genuine friends and teachers I know? How do I describe how terrifying it was to watch the death toll keep climbing as the French media reported on the Paris attacks? How do I describe the contentment I felt spending four, five, and six hours a day in London contemplating and relishing fully in art? And how do I describe how it felt realizing my independence, true independence, for the first time while overlooking all of Paris in Sacré-Cœur? As much as I would love for my friends and family to be able to know and feel every experience I had over the past three months, I know that is an unrealistic expectation and, quite frankly, impossible. But, even though it is impossible for me to share every single detail, as I so wish I could, I can instead sum up my journey by showing you some of my experiences through photographs and sharing how these experiences have changed me forever.
I think one of the best things about my experience studying abroad was having the opportunity to live in the close knit community of Pontlevoy and in the magnificent Abbey. One of my favorite things about walking around Pontlevoy was the enchange of “bonjour!” with almost every person I passed in the streets. No matter how many times I went to the post office to get stamps or to the boulangerie to buy a beautiful French bread in my Franglais, the people of Pontlevoy were always more than happy to help and to have me in their home.
During my time in Pontlevoy, I took classes and lived in the Abbey of Pontlevoy. This abbey is quickly approaching it’s 1,000 year anniversary so you can only imagine how special this place really is. Not only does the abbey give a home to American students seeking to develop a bond between cultures, but it used to be a hospital, a monastery, one of France’s twelve royal military academies, it gave a home to German troops during WWII and was even a museum for large trucks at one point. This abbey even survived one of the largest battles in all of medieval French history, The Battle of Pontlevoy. Being able to roam the same abbey that monks once roamed hundreds of years ago or patients fought for their lives in is an incredible honor, to me. Sure, walking up and down five flights of steps everyday wasn’t necessarily the most enjoyable experience but every time I walked up those steps it made me think about the greatness that walked those same steps centuries ago. It’s really not difficult to find beautiful landscapes or chateaux throughout the Loire Valley but nothing really compares to the true beauty that this abbey holds.
During the first few weeks of being in Pontlevoy each student was given the choice of whether they would like to have a host family. Honestly, I was quite nervous about having a host family because of the language barrier but I was very blessed to have received the Delalandes as my host family. My host dad owns the best restaurant in Pontlevoy (though I am a little biased). Every Monday through Friday my classmates and I would have lunch at his restaurant, Le Commerce, where he would serve us absolutely scrumptious French dishes that never left us with even the slightest tinge of hunger. Le Commerce was the home of so many fun nights; I will never forget listening to my host dad sing his heart out during karaoke night to “comme d’habitude” or dancing to the cha cha slide for a group of French folk after one of Julien’s epic concerts. Besides the fact that I was blessed enough to be able to see my host dad every day, it was such a blessing to have been welcomed into the Delalandes family. They truly made me feel as though I was one of their children and took the time to teach about their culture, food they love, and even places they cherish. That will live with me forever.
Among all of these experiences I have learned that it’s okay to be independent. It’s okay to get lost sometimes and find new places you didn’t plan on seeing. I learned that it’s not selfish to go and see things that I really want to see (even if it means having to see it alone). It’s okay to ask for help (even if you don’t speak their language) and to talk to strangers because they may end up becoming a good friend or holding a plane that you almost missed. It’s okay to spend a lot of money to go do something awesome and it’s okay to try things you have never tried before.
These are the lessons and the memories that are sure to live with me far beyond my college years. And to anyone reading this who is considering studying abroad with The Village, I hope you find encouragement from my journey and know that every cent of the $12,899+ you will pay to study abroad is worth it.
