Thirteen pharmacy students from the University of Rhode Island came to University Rennes 1 and Rennes 2 University for two weeks as part of their program. While here, they visited laboratories, pharmacies, took French courses and discovered the Breton way of life. Before flying back to the United States, they gave us their first impressions of their stay in France.
"What’s surprising for me is how similar the feeling of being a student is everywhere. Everyone’s focused on their own studies and worries, but you’re not alone in that. Everyone’s on this journey…there are some differences maybe in the classroom, but there are enough of genuine similarities to realize that overall we have more in common."
Haneefah
"Before coming, I knew I had weaknesses in French so at times I wondered if I really wanted to go to an immersive program. I’m also just a freshman, so that was also another factor that made it a bit scary for me. But this program in particular looked so cool that the benefits made me think, why wouldn’t I go, rather than what’s going to hold me back."
Katie
"I took French for 5 years in high school but I haven’t spoken French actively in 2 yrs. So I was a little nervous coming here and worried that people would speak to me but I wouldn’t be able to reply as easily. I had a similar experience when I went to China, so I was hopeful and confident that I could handle it. In the end, it turned out really well. I ended up remembering a lot more than I thought I would."
