My Experience in Villers-sur-mer
I have been
studying French for six years, but I had never left the United States before my
internship in Villers. My internship, unlike most, was not in Deauville, but
instead in the adjacent, smaller town of Villers-sur-Mer.
Going in, I did
not have a good idea of what to expect. I knew that I would be interning at the
Paleospace museum, and I knew that I would be the only American there. I knew I
would be living at a house with other seasonal workers, lifeguards and the
like. Past all this, I did not know what to expect, and even though I was
excited to come to France, the whole thing was very daunting. On my way over, I
was asking myself if I was ready to be so totally immersed in French.
When I
arrived at the museum, tired from my flight, it was very difficult for me to
understand anyone speaking to me, and when they talked to each other it was
impossible. While this difficulty was disheartening, it did not last very long.
After my first week, I was hanging out with my housemates every night for
dinner and having conversations with my coworkers. The immersion in the
language that this placement gave me allowed my French skills to grow faster
than they ever have before and I still find myself caught off guard when I can
smoothly hold a conversation with someone for long periods of time.
Not only did I
get to improve my French, I also got to experience Normandy by travelling
around on my days off and wandering around Villers on other days off. Notable
places I visited include Honfleur, Mont St. Michel, Deauville, Caen, and the
American Cemetery at Omaha Beach. Normandy has such a wealth of history that
there’s a practically endless amount of things to do in the region.
My time in
Villers-sur-Mer improved my French skills, exposed me to foreign culture, and
allowed me to experience the history of Normandy.
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