Bonjour,
The first day of school may be one of your scariest moments abroad. You will finally go to school and see all of your teachers and meet some of your future best friends. This may be a little more overwhelming for some people that may not know the language as well, but trust me if you mess up brush it off and stay confident.
I want to start this off with a little story time about my first day at school!
When I arrived at my host families house it was about 5 pm on Sunday night. I unpacked my stuff and ate my very first dinner with my host family. All was going well but I did realize I don’t know any French. After dinner, I went to bed early because I was still a little jet lagged and had to start school Monday morning!
When I woke up for school, I was excited yet more nervous than you could ever imagine. I woke up early to get ready for my first day! I was super excited to start my life here but also very nervous because what if there was no one that spoke English! As I packed my stuff and got into the car to leave I felt a little more nervous than I did when I woke up this morning! Trying to stay positive I took in every minute of the car ride because I knew when we got closer I would feel even more nervous! My host mom drove ride past the entrance where about 40 French students were standing smoking their morning cig. As we drove past I was not so nervous that I had little butterfly but more nervous than you could imagine. I felt like I was going to throw up. At this point, all I wanted to do was go back home with my friends, family, and most important, English speakers!
I get out of the car and since this is my first day my host mom came with me to help get my schedule and books. As we weaved through the students smoking I didn’t even know how to feel. I wanted to throw up and turn back. We walked into the school and got my books and my schedule. I didn’t start class until nine, and thankfully my host mom waited till then with me so I wasn’t alone!
The time for class finally came and I was not ready! We walked over to my first class together. There was a girl standing outside and as my host mom started to talk I was trying so hard to understand what they were saying but couldn’t manage to put anything together. Then my host mom said goodbye and walked away. I wanted to run after and have her take me home but I decided to just stay positive and go with the flow. Then the girl my host mom had just talked to ask me something and of course I didn’t understand so I responded “I’m sorry I don’t understand I don’t speak french” Then she deserves an award for trying because she then proceeded to speak the best English she could which was nothing more than “how are you” The teacher then came and we all walked in I didn’t know what to do but thankfully the girl my host mom talked to patted the desk and looked at me so I stood next to her because everyone was standing. Everyone sat down and this is where things got interesting.
The teacher said a bunch of things in French that once again I didn’t understand! She then began calling names and the students replied with “Oui” and one hand in the air. I told myself “You can do this when you hear your name just do as the French do” Wrong! My name was never called. The girl sitting next to me proceeded to raise her hand and talk at a rapid speed in French. I didn’t understand a word that was being said. All of a sudden the French stop and the room went silent. I figured I had to speak so I said that I am from America and don’t understand in the best french accent I could make! Then a girl from England who has been living in France most of her life turns around and says “She asked what your name was!” My French couldn’t have failed me more in this moment. I was not only embarrassed that I didn’t know french but now everyone knew my name and that I didn’t speak their language.
After another small conversation between the teacher and the girl next to me, she grabs my schedule from my desk and babbles some more. After class, the English girl thankfully told me what was going on and brought me to the office to sort things out and I ended up getting a call home to my host family say I wasn’t in class today even though I was. What happened was I was placed in two classes but I was only on the attendance sheet for one.
Now that it is over it is just something to laugh about and that is my number one tip for everyone on exchange. When something goes wrong, you mess up, or you embarrass yourself, don’t worry. Brush it off laugh a little and move on. People won’t hate you they will think it is cute you have an accent or don’t know their way of life right now and will be happy to help you back up!
Also, this may be the most cliche thing you will ever hear but be yourself. This is a place where no one knows you or the mistakes you might have made in your home country. You can be the person you are meant to be and not the fake person in which your home countries society has shaped you into!
So with this being said, Go out there be yourself and don’t be afraid of being different and making mistakes!
I hope that you have an amazing first day of classes in your new country!
If you ever have any questions please reach out to me!
à bientôt
xoxo Gina