Hello! My name is Courtney Schaefer and I just finished spending the fall of my junior year abroad in Lyon, France through my school's program at UVa. My interest to study overseas had been sparked in several ways—first, when I was in the 7th grade, my family and I lived in the south of France for one year. Not only did this give me an opportunity to experience a new culture and way of life, but it also introduced me to French, a language I came to love and wished to pursue further. My second motivation to go abroad, with France as my destination, was to be put in a foreign university where I would be surrounded by locals and forced to use and improve my sense of the language. My third motivation for going abroad was, like many, to travel, and because I was given an entire semester to do so, going overseas this past semester was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and not a choice I could ever consider turning down.Rather than start this blog as a memento for all my past travels and experiences, I wanted to create this website as a resource for other students like me that are also studying abroad. Almost every day during my semester I learned something new about the culture, the people, or myself, and every time
before a trip, I scoured my travel books and emailed friends that had previously visited those places for advice to see what was worth their time. It is my hope that through this blog, I will be able to reach other students—whether those considering studying abroad, in the middle of their adventures, or already back at home telling stories and reflecting on their journeys—and give them valuable information, tips, and recommendations to make their experiences the most worthwhile. Please stay tuned as I plan to update this website on a weekly basis, and feel free to email me with your personal stories and feedback at
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