Queen’s student Jadzia Armstrong takes us through the differences she has noticed whilst studying abroad. Take it away Jadzia…
“I am currently in Toulouse, France on my year abroad. And already there are so many differences to what it’s like back home! So, here is a blog about all the things friends and I have noticed so far, about the university system and life here in general!”
“So, university first…
First, from what I have experienced and from what we have been told the system is more lecture focused. It is less about discussion and more about listening. This is in direct contrast to back at Queens, when especially in politics there is an emphasis on tutorials and discussion.”
“Credit conversion means I have 6 modules each semester compared to 3, but they feel less in depth.”
“There is a canteen! French universities have CROUS which is a canteen where you can get a full meal for €3.50 – including starter, main and dessert. Most people eat here at lunch and the lines are always so long…”
“This leads to me onto one of the biggest differences I have noticed here which is food. Not just the type of food but the emphasis on it.”
“The stereotype of France is the baguette, which is widely eaten but of course food extends beyond the baguette – the pastries and café culture of sitting down and eating outside, having a chat with friends while eating a chocolatine and sipping a coffee is one of the aspects I love most about France.”
“There is more of an emphasis on the importance of food and drinks to connect and take time together, with meals being something that brings people together. As well as sitting by the river while music plays and having a drink. (And as you could expect, the wine is cheaper here!)”
“People take the opportunity to sit outside and have drinks which is also something unheard of in the UK because of the weather!”
“The next difference is that in France there seems to be a focus on being together and doing activities.”
“This is highlighted by the fact that on the first Sunday of every month, museums are free in France. Adding to this is the big market culture. To me, there seems to be more of a focus on cultural activities and spending time together doing them. Especially on Sundays, shops are only open for a couple of hours which adds to this idea.”
“I have taken advantage of the free museums and love the markets and affordability of fresh fruit and vegetables. There are so many markets all throughout the week!”
“Another huge difference is the cycle culture here. People cycle more to get to events, university and work. You often see families cycling together too. It is on a completely different volume to back home and there are cycle paths everywhere.”
“As well as this, outside university every day there are so many mopeds. They are a popular mode of transport, and you can even hire them just like a bike. I have recently gone on a moped for the first time!”
“These are some of the big differences I’ve noticed and here are just some random others:
- The French eat later – this can be as late as 9pm for dinner
- There are less vegetarian and vegan options in the stores and less multi-cultural options in general
- Being late is common
- Less spicy food
- People wear headphones less here”
“Overall, I’m sure there are so many more which I haven’t mentioned and still to find out. I like so many of these things about France, but for me one of the biggest differences is the diversity of food in the supermarkets and in general and that’s what I miss most about home. But I sure do love the pastries!”