Aero: Arvilla Mast – France 2018 – Epilogue

Posted by LEAF Architect on Saturday, September 15, 2018 · Leave a Comment

Aero: Arvilla Mast – France 2018 – Epilogue

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Arvilla Mast

So, what did I learn about myself on my first visit abroad? For one thing I learned I’m a lot more courageous than I ever gave myself credit for. Granted we were never in any real danger as we were very chaperoned, but coming from someone who didn’t used to be able to drive through the big scary town of Penn Yan without having crippling anxiety, this was an enormous step forward. Courageously coming to college was the first big step, something I vowed I’d never do. But after hearing so much about the trip in history class I finally threw caution to the wind and decided to do something crazy and wonderful. I’m tired of letting fear of the unknown hold me back, and hopefully this is just the beginning.

Before I traveled internationally I had a very narrow view of the world. Even now I still know fairly little about France or any other country for that matter, but I am determined to change that. I now see myself a citizen of earth rather than just an American. Somehow the earth feels tiny and enormous at the same time. I mean you just have to hop on a plane and you can be thousands of miles away in no time, but there’s way too much to explore in one lifetime. Comparing how each society differs is super interesting, and the full emersion in another is necessary to really be able to take a critical look at your own.

I can’t even decide what was the best part of this trip. To start with simple being there where so much history has happened, or standing on the ground where so many people have died, makes it come alive more than any book or movie could. Even just two weeks being immersed in another culture is so good for you. Normandy and Mont Saint Michel were what I was most excited for. Also, Saint Chapelle, which I had never even heard of before we went, but I love now.

To be honest, traveling as a group wasn’t always easy, as everyone has their own timetable or speed they want to move. It certainly teaches flexibility, you can either learn to go with the flow or have a miserable trip. In the past I always needed to know the plan and have things under control. Before we even left I prepared myself mentally to not always have a perfectly scheduled plan or even need to know what was going on. That was one of the most important preparations for me because otherwise I would have been miserable. There was so so sooooo many times when I didn’t know what we were doing. I just took a deep breath and enjoyed whatever was in front of me at the time. I learned quickly, when the group stops unexpectedly, sit and make yourself comfortable because it could be awhile, you just never know, and standing in place for an hour makes everyone grumpy. Learning to have a quick rest on the fly, even if it’s just purposely relaxing my mind while taking the metro, was so important. I got a little snappish on the last day, but overall, I’m so proud of myself for keeping it together the way I did.

So, the most difficult for me was coordinating group stuff, invariable someone is annoyed with our speed no matter if it’s too fast or to slow. But they were also one of the most wonderful parts. For better or for worse you all get thrown together on a crazy adventure and fortunately, at least I feel, our group got along very very well. It’s this group of people that I at least would have been too shy to talk to, but now we share all kinds of fun, goofy, and amazing memories and I hope we all keep in touch in the future.

International travel is such a growing stretching experience. You have to learn street smarts, how to navigate, and the do’s and don’ts of a whole new culture. Watch and learn is my motto, and it saved me so many times. Successfully finishing this adventure has boosted my confidence in my own abilities so much. I tell myself many times now when I’m stressed, that if I can travel internationally I can handle this. I hope this is only just the beginning of my travels. This trip was worth every penny, and is the biggest bang for your buck you’ll ever get. I wish every student could take this once in a lifetime opportunity to explore and study in France.

Arvilla Mast
Study Abroad – France 2018 @ FLCC

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