July 17
It’s been a few weeks since my departure from France and my prediction was correct! I’ve been talking about this trip since I’ve gotten home. I reminisce with myself and whoever will listen about cheese, wine, food, French landscape, people and my experiences and am truly missing our hostel Cluny Séjour. Taking this trip to France honestly gave me the ability to look at the world from a different perspective and not just one from New Jersey. Being submerged in French culture for two weeks allowed me to see a wide array of differences between French and American culture. For example, the French value of local food production. Here in America I feel like you often see bumper stickers for “no farmers, no food” but in France that is something you don’t see. Kids are raised, and even brought in from the city to the country, to learn of how important farmers are to their communities and the country as a whole.
I am so thankful for Rutgers being for providing me with experience. It was incredibly well organized with passionate professors that knew the ins and outs of French culture as well as the science behind wine and cheese production. This experience was not one I could organize as a standard traveler as we were given opportunities that would not otherwise be offered to anyone but our academic group.
I highly recommend anyone interested in both science and going abroad to look into this program. The opportunities and memories gained from this trip are unparalleled and I am very thankful to have been a part of it. Hopefully one day I can return to the vineyards of Burgundy and spread my numerous facts about the production of cheese and wine. Until then, my memories will live on in the hundreds of photos I have taken. Thank you for following my blog post, bon voyage!
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