When I arrived in France, I was overwhelmed with emotion. There was excitement, nervousness, confusion and happiness all at once. A few weeks went by and I started to settle into my lifestyle while abroad. Similar to a tiny boat in the huge Mediterranean Sea, I was a bit lost. After a bit of soul searching, I understood that the issue was exactly what I have been learning about and studying for the past three years at university- communication.
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| Relaxing on the Riviera |
Walking around the streets of my beautiful town is absolutely breathtaking. Once I got over the initial excitement, I slowly began to realize that I could not communicate with the locals in the way I'd like to.
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| Locals on a stroll |
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| Magical French Riviera |
While I can speak some French words and order in a restaurant, I am unable to hold a conversation and become fully immersed in the local culture.
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| Relaxing |
With time, my French has improved and I have found ways to become saturated in the French lifestyle. I can go to markets, discover local art, participate in CEA cultural workshops and communicate to locals without words - a task that communicators usually struggle to master.
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| Local Arts |
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| Learning French the right way |
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| Local Markets |
Through these experiences I have began to understand the ins and outs of intercultural communication.
Sam Y. is the Fall 2017 MOJO Photographer in the French Riviera, France. She is currently a Junior studying Mass Communications & Marketing at Towson University.
