I studied abroad in France for a year, a country known for
wine, cheese, and scarves. I fell in
love with goat cheese, as disgusting as that sounds. I also wore scarves and sweaters – judge me
if you’d like. As for the wine, it was
pretty darn good.
More importantly, my time abroad challenged my own beliefs,
political and otherwise. Indeed, my time
abroad did influence my vote in this last election. On a general level, I saw a system that
worked, and it challenged me to think about how we may learn from other nations
to fix our own system. The United States
does not have a monopoly on good ideas.
For example, I came face to face with a system of socialized medicine –
the equivalent of the f-bomb in American politics – and I survived. In fact, I walked away from the experience
very pleased. I did not have to wait in
any long lines, my care was not rationed, and had I needed medicine it would
have been readily available. On top of
that, I received basic insurance (social security) from the French government;
around $350 covered me for the entire year.
I also benefited from France’s great infrastructure,
particularly their public transportation.
I relied heavily on trains, metros, trams, and buses to get from place
to place. I thrived without a car – and
since I hate driving, I loved every minute of it. The USA needs to step up its game; our
infrastructure, particularly our public transportation system (or lack
thereof), needs to be revitalized if we hope to remain competitive in a
globalized economy. Investment in
infrastructure must be a priority.
Finally, some of my fundamental political beliefs were
challenged. France and the United States
share a lot of the same beliefs. But I
do remember a particular instance in a class called campus soir. It was a French language class for foreign
students. I was the only American
present. We had a debate on the role of
the media in society. I found myself
alone in my unwavering support for the Freedom of the Press, one of the
freedoms guaranteed by the first amendment of the Constitution. My European friends were not as trusting of
the media, and my friends from Yemen explicitly blamed a lot of the Arab
Spring’s violence on the media. I
considered their opinions, but came back to my conviction that a free media is
essential for a democracy. (I’d like to
think I persuaded some of them to think about the media a little differently,
as well.)
Studying abroad made me step outside of my inner walls, and
I came back with a greater sense of who I was and what I believed. The purpose of studying abroad isn’t to make
you more liberal or more conservative, but rather to challenge the beliefs you
take for granted and show you different viewpoints. It gives you perspective. This perspective allows you to come to more
informed opinions once you come back home.
Who knows? In the end, it might
even affect the way you see the world and how you vote. It did for me.
Mark Nabors, Political Science & French Major
Le Mans Exchange Program
Le Mans Exchange Program
