Cassie Hardin: My Internship in Deauville

Cassandra Hardin participated in the Lexington-Deauville internship exchange program in the summer of 2013. She now works in International Relations in the Washington, D.C. metro area.

I participated in the Lexington-Deauville internship program the summer before beginning my Masters in Diplomacy at UK’s Patterson School. My goals were to improve my French and prepare for my studies by becoming familiar with Lexington’s diplomatic institutions. My internship provided me opportunities to meet both goals, as well as experience history firsthand and make lifelong friends.

As a Lexington native, I grew up knowing the cultural and economic significance of the equine industry in the Bluegrass. I saw this mirrored in the Calvados region, where the horse-rearing traditions run as deep as our own. As part of my internship, I visited a stud farm and learned about Deauville’s various equine institutions, from farms to racecourses. The Pays d’Auge countryside is as picturesque as our own rolling meadows, and the Pôle International du Cheval compares to Keeneland or Churchill Downs. Working at the Deauville Tourism Bureau, I learned about these and other local attractions. I used my language skills to translate and edit several publications, and eventually began working the lobby desk assisting tourists in English and French.

With colleagues from the Deauville Tourism Bureau

I made wonderful friendships in Deauville. During the first part of the summer, I lived in the “maison américaine” with three English teachers participating in the yearlong exchange. One in particular remains a close friend and ally: Jessica Hodges took me grocery shopping, sightseeing, and even recruited me into the local Zumba class. I’ll always remember her kindness. Later, I relocated to the home of a local volunteer, Mme. Lucienne Fagheon, whom I fondly consider my “grand-mère française”. Mme Fagheon provided me with a comfortable, spacious room, not to mention two hot, French meals a day! Her daughter and son-in-law provided us with fresh jam and baguettes from their bakery every few days, and Mme. Fagheon herself knew of a place to get fresh mussels just up the street in Trouville. I ate very well that summer!

With Mme Fagheon/ A postcard from the Deauville Tourism Bureau

M. Philippe Behuet of the Exchange Commission oversaw my internship and relocation. At the end of my stay, he invited me to a lovely dinner with his family. I was proud to present them with the Kentucky Derby glass from that year, and give his son and daughter “Wildcat” souvenirs from UK. I hope that they will continue the tradition by coming to Lexington one day.

My experiences were not limited to Deauville. I joined the high school group on their excursions to the Plages de Débarquement, Cimitaire Américain and Mont St-Michel. On the beachside cliffs, I saw deep scars in the earth from fallen bombs. Mme Fagheon, in her eighties, had shared some of her wartime memories with me. To see the evidence in living color, 70 years on, was deeply humbling.

Graves of Americans killed in the Normandy D-Day landings / Cliffs of Lower Normandy / “Spirit of American Youth Rising from the Waves”

I also traveled to Paris several times. I visited the Louvre, Cathédrale Notre Dame, Tour Eiffel, and even watched Bastille Day fireworks from the Sacré Coeur de Paris. On the morning of Bastille Day, I had the privilege of attending the Défilé Nationale: the National Day Parade. The procession wound up the Champs Elysées and around the Arc de Triomphe. As I stood in the shadow of the Arc, a formation of jets flew overhead, trailing jets of blue, white and red. Moments later, the main procession arrived. Then-president François Hollande waved to the crowd; I saw only the back of his head as he was waving in the other direction. I have a goal to return to France: this time, to see the front and face of current president Macron!

What a wonderful summer. My days were spent learning the beautiful language and culture of the Normandy region and dining on mussels, cidre and soft cheeses. My evenings were spent in Zumba class, running on Deauville’s ample beaches or reading for the new school year.

A Deauville sunset. No filter!

I am grateful for my time in Deauville learning about our shared culture, history and economic connections. At the local level, we connect through our love of horses. At the national level, our wartime destinies as Allied powers are intertwined. I was honored to take these experiences back to Lexington. I draw upon these lessons daily in my career, and treasure my memories of Basse-Normandie and Deauville forever.