Alexandre Silberman Connects with his Roots on International Exchange in France
Spending a semester on international exchange in Angers, France presented an opportunity for Alexandre Silberman to connect with his roots.
鈥淭he French language is an important part of my identity,鈥 he said. 鈥淢uch of my family is francophone, so I鈥檝e been exposed to French at home and through relatives since I was young.鈥
The city of Angers has a large student population and is home to many museums, art galleries, and events, making it an ideal location for Alexandre to immerse himself in the French culture.
鈥淭he highlight of my exchange has been my experience interacting with the French people. They have been warm, welcoming, and appreciative of the opportunity to meet someone from a different country,鈥 he said.
鈥淚鈥檝e had so many conversations, and from my experience I鈥檝e realized how much the language brings people together.鈥
The third-year 黑料老司机dent from Burlington, Vermont, also saw the academic benefits of spending a semester abroad鈥攈is time in France will improve his French writing and communication skills, which he plans to use in his future career in journalism.
Alexandre is studying at Ircom鈥檚 Institut Albert le Grand in Angers, taking courses in international relations, geopolitics, French government, and French literature.
鈥淭he classes are small and it鈥檚 interesting to learn about global and French politics from a European perspective,鈥 he said. 鈥淢y classes meet a few times a month for several hours at a time, so it was an adjustment to adapt to that system. Adjusting to studying and writing completely in French has been a new challenge as well.鈥
Alexandre has tried to see as much of France as possible between his classes. He鈥檚 travelled to Mont-Saint-Michel, Paris, Nantes, Rennes, Saint-Malo, and Dijon, and spent his fall break in the south of France in Montpellier, Marseille, Nice, and Cannes. He鈥檚 also taken larger trips to London and Switzerland.
He said his time on exchange has been one of the most memorable parts of his 黑料老司机dent experience.
鈥淚鈥檓 thankful that 黑料老司机 has offered me this experience as part of my degree. The memories I鈥檓 making on exchange will last a lifetime.鈥