Chloe Rongits

Chloe Rongits, a student majoring in French and Francophone Studies, participated in the Nantes Study Abroad Program during the 2022/2023 school year.

Major: French and Francophone Studies

Minor: English

Specialization: Teacher Education Stream

Testimonial

Click on the tabs below to find out what she thought about the experience!

Why did you decide to study abroad? 

Why did you decide to study abroad? 

What was one of your favourite experiences/memories from your study abroad? 

School-wise: being in Guillaume’s class and chatting/joking (while also doing schoolwork) and also creating a great group of friends! 

 

Exchange-wise: Probably our trip to Greece. Exploring the ancient ruins of Athens. Most definitely hiking an active volcano, jumping off a pirate ship into the Atlantic Ocean and swimming to natural hot springs, then finally having THE MOST AMAZING GYRO on an island with population 400. Can’t get better then that!   

What advice would you give to fellow students or someone considering studying abroad? 

Definitely go for it. You may have doubts and worries, but in the end it will all be worth it. You’ll be able to explore new countries and cultures, to see how different your life may be to others. Studying abroad gives you the freedom to explore yourself and the world around you, all while making friends and memories that will last a lifetime! 

How has this experience changed the way you see the world? How has it changed your plans for the future? 

I think that my experience has changed the way I see the world, particularly in an educational setting as I was able to complete a placement in France, where I saw how different their education system is and how I can use these differences in my future teaching career. I don’t think my plans for the future have changed, but it has definitely solidified my desire to teach abroad, potentially at an international school.  

What life lessons did you learn from your experience; about yourself and the world around you? How have you grown?  

I think I gained a lot of independence, being away from home really allows you to do that. But it was in a good way, being able to enjoy being by myself. Another life lesson would be to be brave and confident in whatever you do; whether that is traveling solo or giving an argumentative speech in front of your peers.

What was your experience like? Talk a little bit about your experience studying at your host university, the student life, available resources, time and workload in comparison to Trent, etc. 

My experience was amazing!! I cannot emphasize it enough. The course load was decent, two days of class, 6 hours a day. We didn’t need to buy any textbooks, the school gave them to us and we just returned them. There were lots of student events, we went to a festival the school put on to welcome students back after COVID-19, they had DJ’s and everything, it was awesome! Our professors also arranged events for us as well, such as some traditional french concerts. We also received free access to 5 museums in Nantes, which we went to with our professors, as well as a pass to Nantes’ oldest theater, le cinématographe. Thé workload was very easy to handle and the professors were also very helpful and understanding; they were always happy to help us.  

Were you able to do some travelling? How easy was it for you to travel to nearby countries? 

I believe that in the one semester I was in France, I visited about 10 or 11 countries… hard to keep track! I think there were two weekends that I didn’t travel. Not everyone traveled as much, but one of my priorities was to travel and to explore other countries in Europe as well. Traveling was very affordable, especially with the bursaries that Study abroad offered. There was an airport about 20 minutes away by cab in Nantes, so with the four day weekend, we were able to be all over Europe. About four of us traveled together for the most part, this was smart as we were able to split airbnb’s which lowered the cost. As for transportation, it was all very straightforward in most places (except Santorini)…  

If you went to a country where you did not speak the national language, how challenging was it, was there a language barrier?  

There were a couple countries that didn’t speak English or French as the national language. I didn’t really find a challenge as many of the people who lived there spoke English. Furthermore, we always had a translating app on us just in case, for menus or more.  

In your perspective what are the benefits of studying abroad? 

The benefits are obviously lifelong friendships, I met one of the greatest friends I’ve ever had. Also, our exchange group got along very well and sometimes we all hang out together. It’s also nice to see them around campus and remember all the memories made. I think it is important to study abroad as it allows you to break free from your comfort zone, your home or the campus you know or even your friends. Everyone needs to study abroad because it teaches you independence, strength, motivation and gives you happiness in return. I think about my study abroad experience every second of the day and I dream of returning every second of the day.