A study abroad

Traveling around the world always requires a sense of curiosity and adventure. More often than not, travel demands a willingness to be uncertain, confused, and bewildered. Studying abroad holds similar expectations, though with some added challenges, as living in a different country for prolonged periods of time means learning how to call a new place home. However, studying abroad in France in the fall was the best experience of my life, and I encourage everyone to seek new adventures outside of their comfort zone, no matter how small.
When I was given the opportunity to study abroad in Rennes, France, last fall, I looked most forward to a new independence that I would gain from living apart from my family. My family is extremely close-knit, and we always support each other with all of our responsibilities. However, since the COVID-19 pandemic, I had been spending most of my time with my siblings and parents, so I wanted to forge my own path. Studying abroad gave me so much freedom, and much more responsibility, which I greatly appreciated. The simple act of walking with my friends to get coffee or taking the subway to school opened my eyes to a life that is wholly my own. And, as an added bonus, the temperature never dropped below freezing, so I was still able to walk to school in December.
As well as finding newfound independence, I also met so many incredible and exciting people that I would have never met. Through the school program, I made American friends from all over the country, and we connected over our shared experiences in French class, sports, and the simple fact that we were all studying abroad. In addition, my host family showed me classic dishes from Brittany, took me to a soccer game in the Rennes stadium, and showed me around the city. I was able to join a fencing club as well, and my teammates welcomed me into their practices and competitions like I was one of their own fencers. The kindness of strangers struck me through my travels, because although I have been learning French for 11 years, I had to get used to the feeling of being a foreigner in a country I did not belong to. The transition from staying in France to fully living in France was difficult, but once I felt comfortable with being uncomfortable and uncertain, I appreciated both my experiences and Rennes as a whole.
Traveling is costly, and it is a major barrier for many people to travel. But studying abroad illustrated to me that travel is not completely about location and the sights we see, and rather the people we meet and our own emotions as we discover the world. Travel can be simply within your own city or state - it does not have to be a luxurious vacation to an expensive resort or famous location. I urge everyone to seek new experiences and to see for themselves what the world has to offer in terms of people, culture, and joy.

Evan Vezmar is a junior at Blake School, and is on the staff of the Blake School Spectrum newspaper. He resides in Edina.