My name is Ben Briggs, and I’m currently participating in an exchange program at NEOMA Business School in Reims, France. Studying in a French business school has opened my eyes to many cultural and social differences between France and the US. The first significant difference I noticed arose when doing the administrative work before getting enrolled in my program. Everything seemed very last minute and poorly organized. I couldn’t select housing until mid-October, and course selection happened almost exactly a month before courses began. In the US, we regularly select classes 4 or more months in advance, and the IT and advising system is much more robust. While registering, I was way more stressed than usual and half convinced I’d show up in France and find that I had no housing and no classes. This laissez-faire approach to customer service and bureaucracy has been a significant theme of my study abroad term so far.
Once in France, I was unable to get into my apartment because the security guard who was supposed to give me my keys was nowhere to be found. If it wasn’t for a group of French students who took pity on me and yelled at the security guard over the phone, I likely would’ve been stuck in the lobby with my suitcases for my first night. Additionally, I am enrolled in an online Excel modeling course that has still not started, but everyone in administration insists that it’s only a week away from beginning. I’m all for less Excel, but it is getting quite late in the semester and I really would like to graduate on time, so fingers crossed.
Overall, I have found adapting to the French way of doing things quite doable. In class participation and respect are valued above everything else. There aren’t many assignments, so professors use your active engagement with the material as a major measure of performance. Everything is generally much more relaxed, but professors won’t hesitate to pause a class to address poor behavior, such as cell phone use or tardiness. There is also a much greater sense of camaraderie between classmates in the French classroom. I can always count on groupmates to do their work, and it’s much easier to meet people in the classroom than back at Pitt.
Navigating Reims is straightforward; it’s a smaller city, so the transportation system isn’t as complex as somewhere like Paris or London. Sometimes, it’s still difficult to find exactly what I need in stores (I accidentally bought shampoo instead of conditioner), but it’s getting easier with every grocery trip. Also, my local friends are always more than happy to help if I have any problems.
I have not struggled much with homesickness or feeling like a social outsider because of the great programs for exchange students at NEOMA. Our orientation was a daylong event that included games, food, info sessions, and many opportunities to meet fellow exchange students, as well as French students. There have also been plenty of parties, tours, and other events to meet other students. Some days are still tougher than others, but I’ve built a great friend group of both French and exchange students and I’m having a fantastic time.
