I have been lucky enough to spend almost every summer in France since I was a little girl. Because of my parents’ work, my family moved around quite a bit, and we often found ourselves in France most summers. Since the French school calendar is different from the American one, and because my parents were working, I would find myself in French classrooms instead of at summer camp or with my family. At the time, I didn’t realize how much those summers in French schools would shape who I am today.
Being immersed in French culture taught me lessons that went far beyond learning a new language. I quickly realized, even as a kid, that every culture, including France, has its own unspoken customs and expectations. These unspoken norms often left me corrected, sometimes quite sternly, by elderly French women for unknowingly breaking social norms. I also had to teach myself cursive just to read what my teachers were writing on the board because we had never learned it in school in America. And, there were plenty of moments when I couldn’t find the right words in French or didn’t understand what people were saying. As uncomfortable as those experiences were, they taught me empathy. I learned what it feels like to be an outsider and how much patience and kindness can mean to someone trying to find their place in a new culture.
Although France had always felt like a second home, I didn’t begin studying French formally until college. Choosing French as my major felt like a way to stay connected to a place that felt like home, even when I was far away from it. The more I studied, the more I realized that language is more than communication, it is a window into history, culture, and identity. Learning French deepened my appreciation for France and strengthened my belief that language has the power to empower oneself and connect people across cultures.
One of my favorite memories is celebrating Bastille Day when I was seven years old. Held every July 14, the holiday commemorates the storming of the Bastille prison, a pivotal moment that marked the beginning of the French Revolution and the fight for freedom from the French monarchy. Like every year, my family and I watched the fireworks by the Eiffel Tower. Even then, I could feel the pride and excitement that filled the city. Today, I see Bastille Day as more than a national holiday. It is a celebration of France’s history, its values, and the people of different backgrounds who call it home. That same sense of pride has been exemplified to me this summer through the World Cup, as I see many of my French friends celebrating wins from across “La Francophonie,” the global community united by the French language and shaped by diverse cultures, histories, and voices. To me, this is the most magical part of France, its diversity. Unlike so many countries, France continues to find pride in not only France but in the Francophone world. It is a reminder that language and culture have the power to create communities that reach far beyond national borders.
This summer, I am excited to celebrate Bastille Day in Paris once again by sharing a traditional French meal and watching the fireworks. France has given me much more than unforgettable summers, it has shaped my education, broadened my perspective, and inspired my love of languages!
