Study Abroad

Anna Yamamoto

I was an exchange student at Université Laval, which is located in Québec, in the French-speaking region of Canada. My reasons for choosing that university were that I wanted to live somewhere I had never been to before, and that it was less expensive than living in France. I was worried about the strong dialect, but in fact I am really happy that I chose Québec. By getting used to the strong dialect there, I became able to handle various types of French, but above all, I think I got used to being able to enjoy conversations with other people. In Québec, there is a unique atmosphere whereby people try very hard to understand each other based on the understanding that “standard” French is not everything. Living in Québec, which is very tolerant of diversity, I too became more tolerant about the different types of French that people including myself use, so I was able to relax and enjoy conversations much more than I could before. I have become very attached to Québec, including its dialect, and I think I was able to have an experience that I could not have had if I was thinking only about France. I hope that you will keep your eyes peeled and follow your emotions and your opportunities to create a rewarding study abroad experience for yourself.