Morgan Holt - Connecting with culture, Paris, France

Written by Morgan Holt

I feel extremely fortunate to have had the opportunity to have spent just over a year abroad, which was both mentally and emotionally challenging, yet profoundly transformative and beneficial. My journey started in France, where I attended the prestigious “Sciences Po” university just outside of Paris in a smaller city called Reims. I studied at Sciences Po for two semesters through the SFU study abroad program.

Reflecting on my time in France, I can now properly appreciate the benefits of my time there. Perhaps the greatest benefit is the deep connections I made with people from many diverse backgrounds. The highly international family-like atmosphere at Sciences Po is a powerful way of building a close-knit global community and a sense of deep comradery. I consider myself exceedingly lucky to have become dear friends with individuals from six continents, all of whom imparted within me real knowledge and experience about their culture, history, and daily life in their countries. Differences between our opinions and beliefs inspired exceptional and stimulating debates which stand apart from the sorts of conversations that are possible only with individuals from Vancouver. The topics I explored academically covered a wide array of lenses to international considerations, whether through ideology, religion, ethics, or else popular movements like environmentalism. Ultimately, I believe that my immersion into such diverse ways of learning as shared by unique individuals with such varied backgrounds resulted in immense personal growth and learning.

Beyond the connections and consistent mutual learning, being in proximity to other capable and driven young adults results in the spreading of highly beneficial practices and habits. For example, one exercise that I have picked up from friends abroad that has already had a positive impact on my life is the practice of keeping a daily journal. There is something special about putting down your thoughts and experiences at the end of a day that not only improves creativity and your capacity as a writer but also provides a beneficial opportunity for introspection and reflection that is often missing from our busy Western society.

Upon completion of the Spring semester, I travelled throughout Europe for a month and a half, linking up with friends and family along the way before finally settling in Izmit, Turkey, for a volunteer program with the organization AIESEC. AIESEC is a volunteer organization affiliated with the United Nations that works towards reaching the 17 UN SDGs through the empowered work of youth. My program was focused on SDG # 17, to "strengthen and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development." Within my project, I worked with a different NGO each week in order to assist their marketing teams or event organization. My favourite week was when my volunteer team helped organize and run a community event connecting seeing people with those who live with visual impairment and blindness. Overall, my AIESEC experience offered me an opportunity to get hands-on field experience and to gain a better understanding of the inner workings of various NGOs.

 My wish is to one day work in the field of sustainable development. My time abroad has provided me valuable experience and insight to help me prepare for the future career path required towards this goal. I have learned to work in an international setting with people from diverse backgrounds, races, and cultures and how to overcome language barriers and conflicting worldviews while doing so. I have learned what it is like to live abroad for extended periods, and to live within constant change. I foresee myself living this lifestyle while working in the field of sustainable development. I have progressed in my French language proficiency, and have deepened my knowledge about French, and more broadly European cultures. Working with AIESEC gave me valuable experience and insight into the inner workings of an NGO. I have come away from this year abroad with an increased capacity to adapt to new challenges in a foreign environment and have become much more comfortable and competent working in an international setting.