Posted By: Career Enrichment Network
Gretchen Perhamus, double majoring in Psychology and Sociology, and minoring in French and Music Performance, spent last spring in Montpellier, France. Read more about her experience below!
Content contributed by Gretchen Perhamus.
I am studying in Montpellier, France with the CIC-SPA integrated program hosted through the University of Minnesota.
I chose Montpellier for several reasons. The city itself is a perfect size (large enough to have plenty to do, but small enough to feel comfortable), has a fairly young population, and is not very touristy, making it a uniquely delightful and authentic environment. The location of the south of France is absolutely beautiful. The program itself is long-standing and well organized, with a multitude of great opportunities. For example, you enroll directly with the French university in Montpellier and take classes with other French students, have the opportunity to stay with a host family, and can do an internship.
My decision to study abroad in the spring was largely based on the climates of State College and Montpellier. Going to a much milder climate made more sense to do in the spring, when State College is frigid and Montpellier is regularly in the 50’s. Staying up to date with campus happenings wasn’t too difficult with the many social media outlets available and talking with friends regularly. Obviously you will miss some things, but all of the new experiences you have while studying abroad more than make up for it.
Through the program here I have been able to participate in an internship teaching English to elementary school children. The school I work with is a small, private school in Saint Jean de Vedas, a neighboring suburb to Montpellier. Getting to know the children and other teachers at the school has been delightful, and realizing that I can actually manage a classroom in another language is incredibly empowering.
Right now I am majoring in psychology and sociology with minors in music and French. Therefore, studying abroad and truly advancing my French was very important for my minor. My ultimate career goal is to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology. While studying abroad is maybe not explicitly relevant to this career path, the experiences I have had while traveling have made me a much more understanding, empathetic, and open-minded person, all of which are indispensable in a field studying other humans.
The College of Liberal Arts has supported me greatly both through enrichment funding (from the College and the Paterno Fellows Program) and through the process of navigating how to stay on track with my academic requirements while abroad. It isn’t easy to stay on track with two majors and two minors while also fitting in a semester abroad, and I have to thank all of my advisers who read and responded to my multitude of panicked emails and helped to get me where I am now.
I am completing my French minor while abroad this semester. While I am not able to complete requirements for either of my majors while on this program, I will still be able to complete everything on schedule.
Studying abroad has been by far the best decision I have made thus far. I have had experiences and seen sights that I never would have had I stayed in State College. Meeting people from all over the world as well as from throughout the U.S. has given me a much more solid understanding of who I am individually and what it means to be a global citizen. That kind of knowledge is valuable in any field, and will never again be easier to gain than right now when there are so many programs to choose from. I urge anyone who has the opportunity to seriously consider going abroad.
Applications for Fall or Academic Year Study Abroad are due March 1st. Spring applications are due May 1st. All Liberal Arts students studying or interning abroad are eligible for Enrichment Funding. To learn more, please schedule an appointment via Network Symplicity or email Jackie Smith, Global Experiences Coordinator (jds54@psu.edu)