Ashley Alvey is a student at Berea College and an ISA Featured Blogger. She studied abroad with ISA in Lille, France.
After I finish my bachelor’s degree, I would like to continue with my studies and earn a master’s degree in order to be an interpreter for both French and Spanish. Being an interpreter demands that you have excellent grammar. Therefore, I have been focusing on studying and practicing my French during my time in Lille. My favorite class I’m taking this summer is my French conversation course in the afternoons. Conversation helps me strengthen my vocabulary and helps me fix small grammatical issues I may have.
Studying in Lille has been a wonderful experience. Studying abroad has given me the opportunity to learn about the culture and it gives me the opportunity to speak the language at all times. I have noticed an improvement in my speaking abilities since I arrived one month ago. Studying abroad in another country is a great way to boost your confidence in speaking the local language. You will find that when you return home, your level of vocabulary is better than it was when you left. Being immersed in the culture gives you insight to the informal part of speech.
The most important piece of advice that I can give to those about to embark on their study abroad experience is to be open-minded and be willing to change how you do things. When living in a different culture, every day things are not the same as they are back home.
Planning on earning your master’s degree someday like Ashley does? Did you know you ISA can help you earn your Master’s Degree abroad?