You’ve gotten your Paris Semester acceptance letter. You’re probably feeling many different things right now: excitement, anticipation, and maybe even a little anxiety. Maybe you’re feeling a little unsure about whether or not you should go. Need more information before you make a decision? Esther Flint, a 2019 Paris alum, sits down with the Collegian to share her experience.
Flint, set to graduate in December 2021, transferred to Asbury and was eligible for the 2019 Paris Semester program.
“The Paris Semester was one of the reasons I actually applied to Asbury. The other colleges I looked at also had study abroad programs, but none specifically in Paris,” said Flint. “I knew I wanted to apply to the program the second I got here. It was a huge goal of mine.”
Flint clearly remembers feeling nothing but excitement when she received the news that she’d gotten into the program.
“I was so excited. I didn’t really want to believe that I’d gotten in until they sent out acceptance letters. I wasn’t nervous at all, I was so ready,” said Flint.
As an art & design major, Flint noted that there are significant opportunities for those who choose to participate in Paris Semester.
“My major is art and design with an emphasis in photo and digital media. The internship opportunity that was given to me for Paris Semester was really huge because even though my major is photography, I’m wanting to do something kind of in the fashion industry,” said Flint, “so getting an internship over there with someone who was a personal stylist and shopper afforded me even more of a specialized experience than I would have gotten in any class at Asbury.”
When asked about her experience regarding Asbury classes in Paris, Flint said they’re even better abroad.
“Classes like French history or art history are great here at Asbury, but they’re even better when you’re looking at the artwork you’re talking about,” said Flint.
Throughout her time on the Paris Semester, Flint said that she realized one of her passions was traveling.
“I think Paris Semester emphasized how much I really loved to travel. I gained so much from it artistically and gathered creative inspiration from things that I would not have exposure to here,” said Flint. “I think inspiration and exposure to cultures was huge for me.”
When asked about her biggest challenge that she faced while living in Paris, Flint said that the language barrier was hardest.
“Biggest challenge hands-down … You can start in a French 101 class while on Paris Semester, so it’s not required of you to know the language. Obviously, the class is an intensive, so I did expect it to be difficult,” said Flint. “While immersion did help, we were still in dorms with all of our Asbury girls and guys that spoke English. So the biggest challenge was definitely trying to order at restaurants and asking for directions.”
Challenges aside, Flint emphasized that the experience and opportunities afforded were worth the difficulties.
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience, even if you’re able to go to Europe or somewhere abroad after you graduate. It’s not going to be the same experience as when you’re studying in college. You know the place you’re staying at is safe and that you have professors there that care about you,” said Flint, “And if you’re nervous about traveling by yourself — all the students I went with were so amazing. We’d walk back some of the girls who lived in home stays. When we were in a restaurant, other people would help me order. Because of the other Asbury people you go with, there’s no reason not to go. We all supported and helped each other.”
Flint also noted that her best advice to taking advantage of all that Paris Semester has to offer is to plan other trips.
“Definitely, plan other trips if it doesn’t stress you out. It’s so cheap to do once you’re over there in Europe. It’ll give you such a diverse experience. Just remember to communicate your trips to your professor so you don’t miss anything in your classes. It’s such a condensed semester so the classes move quickly.”