At International Arts & Artists, we love hearing about the incredible experiences our exchange visitors have during their programs! From exploring new cities to experiencing different cultures, exchanges expand our understanding of the world around us. We know all about the power of exchanges — in fact, many of our team members have studied, worked, or lived abroad! So, we’re launching a new blog series called “Travel Tales from the Team” where we’ll share more about our own travel experiences.
Meet Pauline, our incredible fall intern! A student at the Sciences Po Rennes, Pauline is majoring in Politics & Society in a dual French/German curriculum. She also spent her fall semester studying abroad at American University through the Exchange Visitor Program. In her spare time, Pauline loves exploring new museums, discovering new street art, and listening to as much French rap music as she can!
Keep reading for more on what Pauline had to say about her experiences traveling and living abroad!
Have you ever lived abroad for an extended period of time?
Yes, several times! I was born in Germany to a German father and a French mother, and was always brought up in this bi-national environment. I lived the 6 first years of my life in Cologne, Germany, before moving to the west coast of France with my family where I lived for 12 years. I now study in a French/German curriculum and have had the opportunity to live, study, and work in Bavaria, Germany. Even though I’m half-German and spoke German at a high level when I arrived, I still noticed some cultural differences and needed to adapt myself to that environment and communication context.
Since I was socialized as a French kid, going to school there, interacting and sharing contents with French classmates, learning about French history and eating French food, listening to French music and watching French movies, going to Germany kind of made me realize how “French” I actually was or had become over the years. Even though I was “The German” in France, I was “The French” in Germany.
I studied in Brittany, France, for 3 years before that. This fall, I studied International Law & Organizations at American University and interned in Washington, DC, for one semester. After that, I went back to Germany for one semester in order to complete my Master’s degree and then I’ll have to decide if I am going back to France or not for my second Master’s program. America is the third country I’ve lived in for an extended period of time, and it’s always a great experience to live and study in different environments! The academia, work, and everyday culture are quite different, even in countries that are part of the so-called “Western” world.
What was the first place you traveled to outside of the country?
The first place I went outside Germany was France, and we went there every summer after I was born. But since I consider France to be my home country, I guess that doesn’t really count! I visited Turkey and the Dominican Republic when I was younger, but since then I traveled mostly in Europe. By now, I visited 14 European countries! I am using the chance I have to be a European citizen and to be able to move freely in the Schengen area without having to ask for a visa or to change my currency. It’s also very easy to find cheap ways of travelling, for instance by taking long-distance buses or trains or low-cost flights. When I travel inside a country, I also use a lot of car-sharing to reduce my expenses – it’s also a great way to meet people you probably wouldn't have met otherwise!
Do you have a favorite place that you’ve traveled abroad?
I really enjoyed most of my travels, so it’s hard to pick a favorite place! I would say that instead of places, I mostly enjoy specific moments within each of my travels. If I had to choose a favorite however, I would say that I particularly enjoyed discovering Budapest, the capital city of Hungary. I went there for one week last November and was really amazed by the beauty and the energy of this city. Going for a night walk along the Danube River and looking at the monuments is absolutely breathtaking. The people are very friendly and the whole history (ancient and recent) is very well reflected in the city and its inhabitants. Budapest is also an important center for music, film, theatre, dance, and visual art. You can find a vibrant underground culture, and a great number of museums and galleries, plenty of temporary exhibitions in the most unlikely of settings!
What did you learn about yourself while abroad?
I love to travel and to live in other places, because it puts you out of your comfort zone. Being abroad and far away from your common environment, your family, your friends, or the place you like to go forces you to explore new things, even if they don’t look appealing to you in the first place. I think that it’s very important to learn to question one’s own cultural customs and challenge one’s own beliefs. It’s also a good way to reconnect with oneself and take some time to reflect about what you want to do and the kind of people you want around you.
Is there a place you’ve always wanted to go?
I would love to go to Asia, because I’ve never been on that continent and am very puzzled by it. I would like to discover the landscapes, the food, and especially the difference in mindset. For now, I pretty much stayed in the “Western” world, so even if there are a lot of differences between Europe and the United States, I guess that it would be a completely different experience that would challenge me again to reflect on how my view of the world was constructed.
What advice do you have for people traveling or looking to travel abroad?
My best advice is to try and meet as many local people as possible. Doing an exchange program and staying with people from your home country makes no real sense, and you will improve both your languages skills and your understanding of the other’s culture much more if you try to blend with the locals. Instead of trying to recreate the environment you are used to be in or looking for things resembling what you already know, try to embrace the way of life of the locals! What do they do to have fun? How is their relationship to food, family, or work? These are the questions that I think can help you get the most “un-touristic” experience of a place.