The following paper reads as more of a reflection on my entire year abroad than anything else. Through my inimitable experiences and immersion into a different world, I have learned the true value of communication and language; I have come to realize that conversation is a gift, speaking an art. In August 2010, I left the United States to study in Paris for a semester; and from there, I spent my spring semester studying abroad in Coimbra, Portugal. Before leaving for Europe, I had hoped for a summer internship, either in France or Portugal. I sent my resume to different tourist offices and mayors’ offices in France, and I was thrilled when I received an offer/acceptance from the tourist office in Fort-Mahon-Plage, France.
Though I must admit that the tiny beach town of Fort-Mahon was not my first choice when it came to ideal locations for a summer internship, it is infinitesimal compared to the other places I have lived. I was born in San Jose, a big city in its own right; while during the school year, I study in Madison, a state capital. Also, I had just spent a semester in Paris; as well as a semester in Coimbra, a lively university town. Visiting a quaint little town is enjoyable for a short visit, but living in one is entirely different. I had already visited Fort-Mahon a few times before, and it had not proven to be the most exciting of places. Plus, what worried me most about interning in Fort-Mahon was my possible inability to adjust to the laid-back pace of this tiny beach town in the north of France.
However, these worries quickly vanished when I comfortably fit into the rhythm of Fort-Mahon within the first week of my internship. I brought in pastries my first day and, as if it were meant to be, by the end of my first week I was easily conversing with my colleagues, and even exchanging jokes with them. While during the month of June I lived mostly by myself in our family friend’s house, things became more difficult after one of the couple’s grandsons moved in. This was also one of the reasons I was anxious about working for the summer in Fort-Mahon. Adaptability and flexibility were key this year; if I had not embraced the new culture in which I was immersed, I would not have garnered as much as I have out of this year abroad.
When my coworkers found out about the difficulties of my living situation, they were very supportive and understanding. Being able to talk about the situation helped me immensely. This was one aspect of my work environment that surprised me. During my previous trips to France, I had observed and noted that the majority of French people are reserved and avoid discussing personal matters as openly as most Americans. I accepted this as merely a cultural difference, and thus I was pleasantly surprised when my colleagues were so open to talking about my troubles. Furthermore, each time someone made a rude comment about my accent or my “inability to speak French,” my colleagues were there to stand up for me. This aspect of my internship was invaluable to me.
One skill I learned from previous work experience and classes at the University of Paris III was the necessity of hard work in the process of proving oneself.. A common phenomenon that arises in school is the desire to take classes that require no effort and guarantee a good grade. At Paris III, we had to work. My brain was throbbing after every class and homework assignment. Yet through this grueling and challenging process, I learned how to truly apply myself in a class, since I was being pushed to the limit in the effort to succeed in a foreign university. This mentality has remained with me, and I have been able to succeed in my internship because of it. To me, my internship was about learning the tourism field and improving my communication in French. This experience was also my way of seeing if tourism was “for me.”
For the tourist office, I spoke three languages and and was able to communicate effectively. My colleagues confessed to me later that before meeting me they had been worried about hiring a foreigner because of any possible language barrier. However, since the beginning of my internship, my colleagues have complimented my language proficiency, as well as my work ethic. A few of them even said that their stereotypically negative view of Americans has altered because of how I have acted around the workspace. Just as Early and Mosakowski write in their article “Cultural Intelligence,” through my internship, I was able to show my colleagues my ability to “understand their culture” and “prove that [I] [had] entered their world” (146).
In looking over my notes from previous assignments and readings, I often noticed connections with what I have read and the interactions I have both with my French and employees and the tourists. Another part of Early and Mosakowski’s “Cultural Intelligence” that struck me was their commentary on foreigners who can morph and blend into the new culture in which they find themselves. When I was “detached from [my] own culture,” I was able to “adopt the moves and even the body language” of the world around me as my own; and in my eagerness to imbibe European culture, I made “a conscious effort to fit in” (140).
As an International Studies major with the Global Security concentration, the articles about globalization and its effects were very interesting to read and analyze. My internship did not directly relate to certain questions raised concerning the influence of globalization and standardization on the Third World. However, I did make observations concerning the effect of globalization on language and more specifically the transition of English as an “international” language. In his article “Standardization,” Eriksen writes that “English as a second language is making inroads not chiefly among the small peoples speaking languages with no literature and no public sphere but among speakers of national languages like Dutch and Polish… We have entered a period of linguistic standardization that is not a result of nationalism or imperialism, but of transitional networking” (58-59). Although I mostly spoke French at the tourist office, I did use English at least once a day. I spoke not only with people from the UK but several Dutch, German and Flemish tourists. Each tourist office must report statistics on their clientele and questions, and it is difficult to know the tourist’s nationality because most speak English fairly well. In traveling I have noticed this too. There are some places, such as Portugal, France, and other French-speaking countries that I visited where I used the national language. However, in traveling to Spain and Holland, I used English and got along very well. In restaurants, tourist offices, trains and shops, it almost seems as if employees are required to know how to speak English. As a lover of languages, I find this slightly disappointing. I relish the existence of different languages, and I enjoy both hearing and speaking them. Though after learning about international communication difficulties, such as those within the European Union, I have to agree in part that an “international language” would be helpful. Almost all of the employees at the tourist office speak a bit of English and only one speaks German. The employees have learned that English is often more useful than other languages when communicating with foreigners.
Overall I have enjoyed my internship experience. It was my first, and although I was nervous about my first internship being abroad, I do not regret my choice. I learned valuable communication skills and the interworking of the tourism business; but more importantly I was able to experience French culture in a working environment. My internship creates possibilities: in a future career abroad or even future traveling and foreign cultural interactions. However, the ability to easily adapt and interact in new environments is a requirement in reaching those possibilities.
