My study abroad in Rennes, and by extension Europe, has been a cultural experience in many more ways than I initially expected.
One of the reasons that I chose to study abroad in France was due to its geographical and cultural distance from Hawaii. Most of my interactions with French speakers up until my arrival in France had been in a classroom setting (via my instructor) or through my university's French club, where a large portion of French speakers came from the islands of French Polynesia (i.e., Tahiti, the Marquesas, et cetera). I find that people from Tahiti or the Marqueses speak slower than people in Metropolitan France. Thus, when I arrived at Charles de Gaulle Airport, I found it difficult to understand Parisian speakers, who spoke significantly faster. This brings up an important dimension of language, which is of course intrinsically linked to culture: it varies immensely, even within a country. While French speakers in Rennes speak faster than those in French Polynesia, they also speak slower than those in Paris.
Aside from these "macro" concepts of language, some cultural shocks came from ordinary interactions in my daily life. For example, the closure of many places on Sundays. I had heard from people who studied in Rennes previously that this was a city-wide occurrence but did not fully believe it until I saw for myself the extent to which places adhered to this tradition. I find this interesting, as it speaks to something greatly historical and perhaps religion, which can be linked to identity. At the same time, this decision to close on Sundays also speaks to how actions can transcend their original context and become traditions that persist into modernity. By choosing to relax and not work on Sunday as well, I am perhaps taking part in this cultural tradition.
Group picture with my French Culture class. My professor Arsène is to my right.
Finally, one of the greatest ways in which my study abroad in Rennes is a cultural experience is through my ability to engage in the constant exchange of ideas amongst people who had different backgrounds from me. This is transformative, and I know that culturally speaking, I will approach things from a different perspective.
Having the opportunity to explore Rennes as a group on Saturday was an excellent experience and one which I will remember. Exploring Saint-Malo and Le Mont-Saint-Michel with my Irish friend Jason was similarly an excellent cultural experience because we interpreted our surroundings differently based on our distinct cultural lenses.
Beneath the touristic exteriors were a lot of implicit demonstrations of culture. For example, in Saint-Malo, I noticed the design of the multi-floored buildings in the old town, which (to me) drew a lot of parallels to the multi-storied buildings in Honolulu's Chinatown, where in the building arrangement, business owners own a shop on the ground level and live on or rent out the 2nd or 3rd floor. Jason, on the other hand, took note of the prices (which were very high), since he had a better frame of reference on their value relative to the product, due to his lifelong experience with euros as a currency. By pointing out these different aspects we enhance our cultural understanding of each other and the country where we chose to study abroad.
Another group pic:
Although cliché, living and immersing myself within a new environment has provided me with an entirely different cultural perspective. When I first outlined my goals for this semester, it was 1) to step outside my comfort zone, 2) to immerse myself in French culture, and 3) to take courses that I normally wouldn't have. Two and a half months into my study abroad, I can say that I have already met most of these goals. Even still, I know that I still have so much to learn and experience. I particularly found the opinions and views of my classmates interesting, and enjoy our discourses inside and outside of the classroom.
And ultimately, my study abroad in France has been an experience that has helped me understand my own culture better.
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