“We’ll always have Paris”

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    By TRACY VONCANNON

    Newsnet Reporter

    Janette DeCosta walked off the plane in Paris not knowing what to expect.

    After arriving the first day, the study abroad group from BYU was to spend the night at a hotel on the outskirts of Paris, but first had to find their shuttle bus from the airport. DeCosta took the initiative by asking French workers in the airport for help. Minutes and several unsuccessful attempts went by before someone would actually stop and talk to her.

    “The first woman I asked for help stuck her hand up at me and said she didn’t have time,” DeCosta said. “I was scared that this would be typical of all French people, but I came to realize that it wasn’t.”

    Many students have different fears and hopes when they first decide to study abroad in Paris.

    BYU offers study abroad programs year-round, and they differ with students’ fields of study. For those who want to finish more of their general education courses, Fall and Winter Semesters are advised. For students majoring in French or French teaching, such as DeCosta, Spring and Summer Terms are recommended.

    Studying abroad Spring Term includes staying in Paris for five weeks, touring the Loire Valley for a week and traveling to Nice for the final week.

    DeCosta said she chose spring semester because of an accelerated pace of learning, which would help her in her major.

    “It was always something I had wanted to do, and it took a lot of preparation to get there,” DeCosta said. “I knew the benefits of going would be worth the effort I put in before leaving.”

    According to the Kennedy Center’s Web site, to prepare for studying abroad, students must take up to French 201 before they can be considered for the program. Once accepted into the program, students also take a one-credit class to help prepare them for the French culture they will encounter on the trip.

    Yvon LeBras, one of the directors for the program, has worked with the study abroad program for the last 10 years. LeBras said what makes Spring Term in Paris unique is that it is run entirely by the French Department, whereas study abroad Fall and Winter Semesters are run by various professors from different departments.

    Every Spring Term anywhere from 20-25 students are accepted into the program. The directors of the program make the final decision of who gets chosen. LeBras said the decision is influenced by many aspects.

    “We look at the students’ personalities, their grades and how serious they are about learning about the French culture,” LeBras said. “Another big influence is how well they can get along with others.”

    Once selected for the program, students must come up with a way to pay for their stay in France. This is not an easy task as the projected cost, not including airfare and spending money, starts at $4,000. BYU tuition scholarships, Pell grants, and student loans are options students may use toward their study abroad program. LeBras said no matter how students get to Paris, it is well worth the cost.

    “You get a really good deal for what you pay for,” LeBras said. “It’s one of the cheapest programs around.”

    To be able to travel to France, students must have a passport, according to the French embassy’s Web site. The site also stated students visiting for less than three months, such as the Spring Term students, do not need a visa.

    Upon their arrival in Paris, the study abroad students meet up with their assigned families and stay with them for the remainder of their stay. LeBras said students are very lucky to be able to stay with French families while in Paris since students originally stayed in hotels for the entire trip.

    Most of the host families are found through the directors of the LDS Institute in Paris. The program currently has from 15-20 families in the suburbs of Paris.

    Students have certain classes they must take while in Paris, including a site class. The class includes visiting a certain number of attractions across Paris – including the Louvre, Fontainebleau and Notre Dame cathedral, and then being quizzed on them.

    DeCosta said her biggest fear of going over to Paris was whether or not she could handle the class load.

    “I knew ahead of time that we had daily quizzes and weekly tests that required a lot of time to study,” DeCosta said. “In the end, they ended up being worth all the studying.”

    Along with a demanding class load, students must also adjust to the French culture. The interactions between the French are something that DeCosta said took a while to adjust to. She said the people oftentimes do not address others walking down the street and tend to keep to themselves – until you get to know them.

    “The French people are very selective with who they give their affections to,” DeCosta said. “If you are one of their close friends they’ll treat you like family and will do anything for you.”

    LeBras said the time spent in Paris is helpful because it gives students a chance to break from the everyday rush of BYU life.

    “When you’re in Paris, you get a chance to slow down and focus on a few classes and getting to know the culture,” LeBras said. “I love going because it gives me a chance to really get to know my students.”

    For those planning on going to Paris in the spring, a lot of advice is available. LeBras advised going with realistic expectations.

    “People don’t know France that well. The best advice I can give is to keep an open mind,” DeBras said. “Students need to be willing to learn and know that France is made up of all different types of people.”

    DeCosta said she recommended expecting to come back a different person.

    “The entire experience changed who I was and really opened my eyes,” DeCosta said. “As a result it made me get rid of a lot of the fluff that didn’t matter in my life.”

    Nicole Giullian, a freshman from Bozeman, Mont., plans on studying abroad in Paris next spring.

    “I have never been outside of the country before,” Giullian said. “I decided I wanted to go to France to fine tune my French and learn more about the culture.”

    Giullian said she knows the cost involved in going to Paris, but said she believes it is well worth it and is continually saving to be able to go.

    “I know going to France is expensive, but it has always been my dream and I am willing to work hard to achieve it,” Giullian said.

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