New Study Abroad Program in Lyon Gives Students New Perspective

This summer, three Rockhurst University students got the chance to take part in a new classroom experience for their French studies.

Junior Megan Jacobsmeyer and seniors Rebecca Roohanirad and Aimee Dion spent the month of July in France as part of a newly launched study abroad partnership program with the Catholic University of Lyon. Accompanied by Katie Madigan, Ph.D., professor of modern languages, and living with host families in Lyon, the trip illustrated firsthand the rich cultural and historical heritage of the country, and allowed the students to explore the issues and people of contemporary France and Europe. All while giving their French language skills the ultimate test — talking with native French speakers. It wasn’t easy, at least not at first.

“This was my first time using my French language skills with natives and the biggest challenge when I first arrived was understanding what people were saying,” Roohanirad said.

Soon enough, she and other two students said they found herself adjusting. Roohanirad said she still made mistakes, but realized that, too, was part of the process of learning and gaining the self-confidence in her own skills.

Jacobsmeyer said traveling through the country gave her plenty of chances to learn customs, as well as the language.

“I was living in a culture completely different from my own… it took some time to get used to,” she said. “It was so fun to explore — and get lost sometimes — it was such an incredible experience.”

Dion, who also this year won one of two prestigious national scholarships from the American Society of the French Academic Palms to study in France in the summer of 2016, said one of the highlights for her was when one of the young sons of her host family celebrated his first birthday, which gave her a chance to spend most of the day in casual conversation with family and friends. She said she also relished the chance to learn from the other students at the university.

“In my class over the summer I met people from over 15 different countries,” she said. “We would never have crossed paths if we didn’t all have the same urge to learn another language and immerse ourselves in another culture.”

Another indelible memory was a service learning opportunity in which the three students spent several days with refugees from around the world now living in France. Dion said during that time they visited with refugees to learn about how they came to France, the difficulties of starting new lives here and the daily challenges they face.

“I learned how hard it was for them to leave everything behind and come to a country where they knew no one and nothing about the culture or language,” Roohanirad said. “Living in France was hard for me, and I had been studying the language for six years.”