Studying abroad as a graduate student was difficult. It’s weird being a graduate student, figuring out study abroad alone. However, with the support system of my study abroad program and the experiences I had with moving around with my family, I was able to figure out everything that I needed to know to study abroad.
Do NOT procrastinate on getting a visa
The process of getting a visa is like going to the DMV. You schedule an appointment time, yet after walking in, you have to wait a while because the appointment time itself is just to get you in the door. You could wait for hours. Also, you want to make sure that the paperwork is up to par because it takes a few weeks for them to process everything (think about 3-4 weeks). For France, they took my passport and documents and sent them to the embassy in Washington D.C. I had to wait for everything to process and then wait for them to send everything back to the appointment center in Los Angeles.
When you first get abroad, don’t worry about traveling
Take some time to settle in and get familiar with the location first. Get familiar with the streets, directions and surroundings. There will be plenty of time for traveling during the fall, spring, and winter break. There were also plenty of weekend trips offered, so settle in first and travel after.
Be aware of how you’re being perceived
African American culture is HUGE in the francophone world. Unfortunately, that means being treated differently sometimes. Many times, once people met me, they wanted to discuss my culture with me, instead of simply allowing me to be a human being. I was sometimes treated as if I was celebrity or as if I was supposed to entertain people, and when you fall short of that, it’s not pleasant. I found the obsession to be a bit colonizing to be honest. However, once you understand that dynamic, you can have fun with it or just ignore people altogether who want to reduce you to stereotypes.
Xenophobia is real/put cultural boundaries in place
It’s always necessary to respect the culture around you, but it’s also okay to put boundaries in place. I’m not a person that likes to be touched without permission and in France that is culturally acceptable. It’s okay to tell people not to do things like that. Also, Europeans really enjoy talking politics, but that’s also not my thing. It’s okay to state that you don’t want to talk about politics. Nobody can make anyone do anything just because they are in their country. Of course, be respectful, but understand boundaries are boundaries anywhere.
Worlds can be messy when they collide
France has a large first-generation immigrant population from Africa and the Caribbean. There were also many immigrants from other continents like South America. There were also many refugees from Sudan. This means a large clashing of worlds and cultural expectations of behaviors. What is acceptable behavior in one culture may not be acceptable in another culture. Particularly coming from the U.S., it was weird seeing how traditional France still was. However messy worlds can be when they collide, it’s a beautiful mess and a great learning experience for everyone all around.