USAC France: Pau - French Language & European Studies

I am truly grateful for my time abroad. Not only did I get to improve my language skills which was my primary goal, but I also found a new community, experiences, and many more things I would not have imagined! Through the constant community and exploration, I was able to make a home from what seemed like a strange place at first. I created a relationships with a host family and friends that I have remained connected with. I was able to explore many parts of France that not many people know about which has made it exciting to share since I have come back home! There is so much that studying abroad has brought me and I will forever say that studying abroad was one of the best experiences I have had thus far!

Pau was a very small, very beautiful town. Because of it's size, it was easy to talk to strangers and better my French. The people were very friendly, and were always willing to talk to me and better my poor French. The city was very walkable and there were several restaurants, and public places to visit. During the summer, there are many outdoor bars you can go to facing the Pyrenees mountains where you can meet other locals. There is also a beautiful river you can visit and swim in. It was also very easy to travel throughout France and in Spain on weekends.

Studying in Pau France was an experience that I will never forget. It was more than just studying. It was living and breathing in a new atmosphere that allows one to develop their character, skills, and make friendships that will last a lifetime. I remember my arrival to Pau, getting off the train station, strolling up a steep pathway with my hiking backpack to the Boulevard des Pyrenees, and feeling like I was in a fairytale. The city was embellished with beaming, thriving foliage and architecture that takes one’s breath away, all framed by the beauty of the surrounding mountains. The geographical placement wasn’t the only part that I loved about Pau, but my professors were the best teachers I have ever had. Every class was an adventure, every subject intriguing, challenging. As we all laughed, learned, and ate together, we quickly became good friends. When we didn’t know an answer to a question, we’d look to each other for help. There was such a bond build between the students as we were each in a place we didn’t know, all surrounded by people we didn’t know and no one was competing against the other. If I could recommend doing one thing in life, it is to go abroad! Go experience things you never have. Make yourself uncomfortable, because you will grow. The benefits of it are immeasurable. It’s an experience incomparable to anything else.