From a young age, I was always encouraged to take on new challenges and put myself out of my comfort zone. During my fall 2016 semester, I was given an unforgettable opportunity to study abroad in Rennes, France. Moving away from my family, friends, school and the life I knew was challenging but pushed me to make new friends and learn more about myself.
ESC Rennes School of Business
I attended a renowned business school in France where I took a majority of finance and project management courses. Studying abroad definitely highlighted the differences in teaching styles in the US vs. France. Everything was mainly project- based, which enhanced my team-working and communication skills. I had to work through novel challenges such as language barriers, work styles, etc. I learned conflict resolution, effective communication, and time management.
ESC Rennes School of Business 
ESC Campus 
ESC Library
Why France?
I chose to study abroad in France because of its rich culture and ever lasting history. Visiting places with rich history has always fascinated me. I love standing in iconic places and just take in all the past events that happened in that exact spot and to me France had what I loved.
Rennes life long friends 
Travel opportunities 
ESC Rennes Cohort
Challenges:
- Language barrier: I did not know French prior to my trip. It was a challenge reading most of the local signs and papers. To overcome this, my French friends would teach me common phrases and I would practice ordering foods and carry out conversations at the grocery store with locals.
- Culture shock: This kept me on my feet and I enjoyed every bit of learning the ins and outs of the French culture. From trying new authentic food to social norms, I had to learn to adapt in a respectful way. I asked my friends and professors to take me to local events to adapt.
- School: The French curriculum was very different from what I was used to. From being only project based to the grading system, it was interesting to see how the learning system was so different from the US. I had to learn to work in groups and how to practically apply what I learned; this helped me to absorb more of the knowledge.
Outcomes
After returning from my trip, it was strange trying to adapt back to my old life. I had withdrawals and really missed the life and friendships I built back in France. However, through this experience, I was able to bring back these skills for my future endeavors.
- Personal growth and self- confidence
- Ability to work in teams with such diverse backgrounds and working styles
- Time management
- Communicate effectively with people from different nationality and languages
- Adaptability to new changes