French + Sciences: Testimony from 2 of the 2024 laureates

Mari, 2024 laureate – Rouen

Thank you for the amazing opportunity to study in Rouen! After reflecting on this experience, I have developed a deeper appreciation and love for French culture, cuisine, and language. I can’t express enough how grateful I am to be chosen to go to France. I learned how much food is so important to the French people and culture.

It was interesting to witness that many French dishes that first appeared to be simple have so much flavor because of how high the quality is in the ingredients. Many dishes I tried didn’t need too many spices to impress my taste buds because the quality of their ingredients alone was enough to stand out. I can confidently say that I’m impressed and blown away by this.

I really loved meeting all the experts of food and hospitality in Rouen. From wine, cheese, seafood, hotel hospitality, and my favorite chocolate, it was great to listen and learn about what makes their profession special. Our chefs are incredible people and it was fun to learn and witness their skills.

I met many students from around the world through this program and it’s amazing to make friends who I can share those memories with. I learned so much about myself and I’m so grateful that I had the chance to travel on my own for the first time to see this growth.

Learning French was very difficult for me. I didn’t take enough classes in elementary and highschool because I was intimidated by my teachers, but I’m pleasantly surprised that my feelings towards that have changed. I had a good time learning French with my classmates. My teachers were patient with my slow pace, nonetheless I developed new motivation and enjoyment for learning the language. I’m still not confident in my skills in writing and speaking, but it’s so satisfying to know and understand a bit more words and phrases compared to when I first started. I will definitely continue to study and perhaps take university/college french classes in the near future.

Again I’m so grateful to be chosen to participate in this program. Three weeks is not enough for me to try all of what France has to offer (museums, restaurants, etc), but it has gotten me hooked on booking a ticket back to explore the rest of France.