Three months into living in France, going on a year abroad is one of the most enriching things that I’ve done during my education. I arrived in Toulouse in September, and while the moving process was far from easy, the time I’ve spent here so far has more than made up for it.  

Unlike many others, going on a year abroad is  required as part of my degree, and I never got to choose where I was going or what I would do whilst being there. This was a bit of a concern but I quickly realised I had nothing to worry about. Toulouse tends to fly under the radar when it comes to the best places to visit in France. The city itself is ideal for students – it strikes the perfect balance between being young and active yet inexpensive. Nicknamed the Pink City, Toulouse has some wonderful architecture and its Mediterranean climate makes me feel like I’m on holiday (apart from the studying!).  

My friends and I all now have a keen desire to experience everything that the city and surrounding area has to offer before we go back home. The clock is ticking so we need to put some serious planning in if we are to achieve that. France is great for student discounts to cultural venues, so we’ve spent many weekends visiting museums, art galleries and music performances. A particular favourite was the Art of the Brick Exhibition. The city is big on rugby and football, and we were lucky to watch one of the Rugby World Cup games being played in Toulouse. 

Despite all the good stuff, the language barriers can’t be ignored. Until you live somewhere where you can’t speak the language in the same way that locals do, it’s hard to fully understand the importance of being able to communicate and the effort it takes to do so in a language in which you’re not fluent. Everyone stresses the importance of making French friends, but you have to be realistic on this but also not use it as an excuse to fall back on your home country friends. You have to continuously challenge yourself and take a few risks if you truly want to learn better French and have a satisfying experience.

Try to immerse yourself into the culture of wherever you’re going, especially when you first arrive. Attend social events and meet as many people as possible. If there are opportunities to speak the native language, take them! Don’t worry about making grammatical mistakes or forgetting vocab – it’s inevitable. People usually appreciate that you’re making an effort, and the more you practise, the better you’ll get.  

So, to anyone spending a semester or year in a foreign country – English speaking or not – throw yourself into the experience! Whether you’re going to France or anywhere else, the opportunity to live in a new country rarely comes around and it’s a privilege to be able to experience a new culture in a meaningful way. You’ll find that the visa application stresses and third year FOMO are forgotten as soon as you arrive! 

Ella is studying Law with French and French Law at Université Toulouse Capitole