Bryan School Study Abroad Program
Angela Davis – Lyon France
Before going abroad I hoped to become more fluent in French. Going to France had been a lifelong dream of mine and it was great to be able to finally go there. I did not have that many expectations about studying abroad before going other than meeting new people from all over the world. I can appreciate not having a lot of expectations because it makes it easier to keep an open mind.
ACCOMMODATION
When you go to Lyon you have the option of living in an apartment or staying with a host family. These
accommodations are usually arranged before you arrive in Lyon. I stayed with a host family. It was a great
experience because I got to learn about the French culture and speak the language. We usually had dinner
together every night. Sometimes I got to read stories to my host mother while she was preparing food which
was really nice. When living with a host family you get to see the family interaction and learn about the
culture in a unique way.
CLASSES
The classes were small, usually around 20 students per class. The students came from all over Europe,
the United States and Mexico. This brought different perspectives into the classroom and I got learn
about businesses practices in different countries. The lectures had more student and teacher interaction,
which was really great. There were fewer assignments and more independent reading than at UNCG. We usually
had one big test or project due for each class at the end of the semester. I took all of my courses in
English, except for my French language course.
THINGS TO DO
The campus in Lyon only provided limited opportunities for extracurricular activities. However, the
city itself made up for it, because there are so many things to do in Lyon. I went to the movie theater
and saw a lot of French movies, which helped me to learn the language. I also went to a lot of museums
(which were free on the first Sunday every month) and concerts. I took some dance classes and used the
gym facilities on campus to work out.
TRAVEL
I did some traveling during my time abroad. I went to Paris by myself during the Winter Break. I also
traveled to Switzerland with a friend from class. However, I spent most of my time traveling around Lyon.
The city has many small neighborhoods which all have their own culture. I found Lyon to be a very friendly
city with nice people. Paris was very different from Lyon because it had more of a tourist atmosphere.
ADVICE
- Research the culture and things to see before you go abroad. I had studied French but not the French culture. I think I missed out on going to a lot of nice places in France because I did not know about them before I left.
- Be nice to the International Programs Office people in Lyon because they can help you with many things during your stay.