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Success StoriesThe Winding Road to ParisThe plan was simple. Spend the summer after graduation working in France.
A noble plan. Little did I know how much it (and I) would change within three months. It all started in March, when I made up my mind to go abroad. After reviewing several options, I decided on SWAP France. It was the perfect opportunity to live and travel abroad while brushing up on my français. |
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| As I got more and more obsessed with the idea of travelling in Europe in addition to SWAPPING in France, I looked into several options. I finally decided on a Eurail pass. That was the beginning of the end for the 'summer' plan. I flew into Frankfurt in May, not speaking a word of German. As I gathered up my backpack and headed toward the train to the city centre, I felt the first tingling of true freedom. This was me, the small town Canadian girl, in Germany. Although I was still scheduled to fly home at the end of August, I made up my mind then and there that I was going to take full advantage of this opportunity and see as much as I possibly could. |
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| Three and a half months and 14 countries later, I arrived in Paris, ready to become a parisienne. I found a job as an ESL teacher and a flat within a week, thanks to the contacts I found at the SWAP office in Paris. The staff there made the adjustment so much easier! |
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I will always remember my SWAP experience as the best choice I have ever made. I made some very good friends, drank some very good wine and built memories that will last a lifetime. Looking back on my extended European experience, I wouldn't change a thing. To anyone considering SWAP, you will not regret it. Live life to the fullest!
By: Kaarina Wilson, Northern College of Art, Ontario
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