Why a placement year abroad is worth it
As her year working in France winds down, Francesca Morelli is leaving Paris with new friends, new skills and new confidence.
I¡¯ve made it to the six-month mark on the year abroad timeline. My placement lasts a total of nine months, and despite how hard I¡¯ve found the last six months, I¡¯m scared and a bit sad at the thought that it is all coming to an end.
? Leaving with happy memories
I¡¯ve had some real once-in-a lifetime experiences. I got to see Ireland beat France in overtime at the Six Nations in the Stade de France (which is like 20 minutes from my house!). I got to see the Grand Place in Brussels light up in time with Sia¡¯s Christmas album. I¡¯ve partied in a techno club ON the Seine- that¡¯s right- it¡¯s a boat. I¡¯ve seen the Eiffel Tower sparkle from a rooftop bar overlooking Paris with a cocktail in hand. I¡¯ve lived with girls from Prague, the United States, Taiwan, China, Columbia, Argentina, Brazil, Mumbai, Denmark, and Turkey.
Boosting my CV
In my new world of ¡®professionalism,¡¯ I¡¯ve helped my company climb from 3,000 users to over 10,000 in under six months. I¡¯ve learned some invaluable skills and been challenged to use my initiative more than ever before. I¡¯ve learned and experienced things that will put me in an incredible position for the rest of my professional career.
Attacking the travel bucket list
That said, I still have an ever-growing list of cafes I want to visit and things I want to see, but I have recently come to the realisation that I just don¡¯t have enough time! Counting a few weekends at home, my to-do list outweighs my weekends left by a small number.
The year will fly in
People tell you before you go, they tell you when you¡¯re there, they tell you when you¡¯re almost finished¡. I¡¯m almost sick of hearing that the year will fly in. I can now confirm that those people were right. It feels like yesterday that I walked into my French office for the first time. And honestly I can¡¯t even remember everything thayt I have packed in because it all just feels like a blur. One big blur. I have no doubt the next three months will feel the same.
No regrets
One thing I want to avoid is leaving this year with regrets. It would be easy to look back and say, ¡°I wish I had gone out and explored more Saturdays,¡± but you have to give yourself a break. Nobody has the time, spirit, energy, or money to do everything they want to do without any downtime ¨C let¡¯s face it! I can be hard on myself, and I anticipate coming home and feeling like I could¡¯ve, should¡¯ve, would¡¯ve done more. But that¡¯s just life! As my mum always says, ¡°coulda, woulda, shoulda!¡± I¡¯m happy with how I¡¯ve spent my year abroad, and I¡¯m even happier with how I¡¯ve coped with it and overcome barriers. In the next three months, I will make a special effort to make the most of the time I have left, because as they all warned, ¡°it will fly in!¡±
Francesca MorelliBSc International Business with French | 3rd Year | Northern IrelandI am 21 years old currently working in a startup in the centre of Paris from August '17 to June '18 for my year abroad. I have been a competitive rower for 7 years, and I am currently a member of Queens University Belfast Ladies Boat Club. I come from an Italian family, and so I have grown up with a love for Europe and European languages. I¡¯d like to write about my year abroad for what it really is, and hopefully help someone who is planning to move here next year; no sugarcoating allowed! |
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