Rachel Ding ‘26
School Year Abroad (SYA) Logo
The St. Mark’s Global Citizenship Program has offered many curricular and extracurricular travel and immersion opportunities to destinations worldwide. Through its partnership with the School Year Abroad organization, they have sent students to study in Rennes (France), Viterbo (Italy), and Zaragoza (Spain). Each SYA school fosters learning within the classroom and the broader global community, blending high educational standards with interactive, experiential learning.
To gain a deeper insight into student perspectives, I interviewed Lily Wu (24’) and Linda Li (25’) as they reflected on their respective experiences studying abroad in Spain and France last year for a comprehensive understanding of these programs. Our interview delves into their experiences in cultural adaptation, academic and linguistic learning, and the challenges they faced while living in Europe.
Lily’s Experiences in Zaragoza, Spain:
Why did you decide to study abroad? Why this specific destination and program?
I remember we had a community block where they introduced us to this program, and I was really interested. I wanted to explore Spanish culture and improve my Spanish because I think it's cool to be proficient or fluent in another language.
What were the initial challenges you faced adapting to a new country? Were there any culture shocks?
Yeah, definitely. I think one of the biggest challenges was the language barrier—I came from Spanish 2, so I could barely speak the language. Also, there were a lot of scheduling conflicts with my host parents, so eventually, I had to switch. But overall, I think the transitioning part wasn’t too hard, and I got a lot of support from my teachers and classmates there.
How did the academic environment differ from St. Mark’s?
It wasn't as challenging because people in Spain have more things going on in their lives besides academics. The school is definitely very rigorous, as it is under the Phillips Academy program. But, while the school is challenging, the workload is not as heavy as St. Mark’s, and people are less competitive. They always help each other out, the environment isn’t toxic, and there’s no comparing grades.
How did you manage language barriers?
I’m not going to lie—I was the worst Spanish speaker there. Out of fifty people, I was in the lowest Spanish class. There were only three kids in my class, so we each got a lot of special attention from our teachers and advisors. We had a lot of support, and they were very good at accommodating students of different levels.
Has your time abroad improved your language skills?
I was only there for a semester, so a little over five months, but I am in Spanish 6 now, which is the highest level our school offers. I think I am probably the top student there just because studying abroad taught me a new approach to learning a language—how to use it, memorize the vocabulary, and get comfortable speaking Spanish.
Did you participate in any cultural activities? How did they contribute to your experience abroad?
Every weekend, we were allowed to travel independently within the country—anywhere in Spain. Culturally, this had a significant impact because even within this country, there are different areas with different cultures, and we got to experience a lot of that within such a short period, which was nice.
Did you face any unexpected challenges? How did you overcome them?
Since I have been in boarding schools for so long—I wasn’t really homesick because I was used to being away from home. But I did miss the food a lot—Spanish food was not it. The sardines on toast were pretty nasty. Everyone had been recommending it, so I got it, and it was disgusting; I couldn’t eat all that night. Everything there just felt much cheaper than in America. Certain bigger cities in Spain were better, but I was in a small-ish city that wasn’t as nice. The architecture was still beautiful, and public transportation was well-curated, but it was not necessarily what you would imagine.
What was your highlight?
My highlight would be when we did our capstone project, which is independent research done towards the end of the year. I chose to do mine on a new animal rights law in Spain, and I got to visit and interview every representative from the Spanish political parties—I just learned a lot.
What was your lowlight?
I think my worst experience was being an Asian in this country. I encountered many racist interactions—not with my classmates, but with many other people in this relatively small city in Spain. I felt as though the older people were very judgemental. I experienced microaggression from restaurant owners, store owners, and bus drivers.
How would you rate your overall experience from 1-10?
Probably 10! If I could change anything, I would go for a full year instead of a semester.
Do you have any advice for someone considering studying abroad?
Only consider SYA if you are down to explore new things. You should prepare for more than just the good parts of Europe—affordability, good food, waking up later at nine o'clock. Things change, so you need to be flexible, doing whatever it takes to build your experience. Adaptability, versatility, resourcefulness, self-management, and emotional resilience are essential.
Linda’s Experiences in Rennes, France:
Why did you decide to study abroad? Why this specific destination and program?
I chose to study abroad in France because it just felt right. Also, this program enticed me when I was applying to St. Mark’s. During my sophomore year, I realized this was something I had always wanted to do, and this was the opportunity to do it, so I applied, got in, and did it! I chose France because I took French and that was easiest for me. I also had this romanticized image of France and Paris, so I wanted to check it out and see what it was like.
What were the initial challenges you faced adapting to a new country? Were there any culture shocks?
Language was the most challenging part at first. Right off the plane, I went to a rest station, where I realized I didn’t know how to order food. I just stood there, asking the other students, “How do I do this?” I realized I had to do everything in French now, and my French was pretty bad back then. Another experience that came as a shock was living with a host family—I definitely had to get used to that—especially the meals. We shared most dinners, which were very long—sometimes up to multiple hours, while in my family, they only last 20 minutes. There were a lot of table manners I wasn't aware of, but eventually, I ended up getting used to all of them. There are some things I ended up adopting, and there are some I am glad to have left in France. I like how they value conversation at meals—the purpose of a meal isn’t just eating but to reconnect with family and talk about your day.
How did the academic environment differ from St. Mark’s?
Initially, I found the academics quite challenging because everything was in French, besides math and English. But, once I got used to that, the course load was lighter than St. Mark’s. Also, much of the learning is experiential, so it involves exploring the city on your own or spending time with your host family to work on your projects—things that are not necessarily tedious to do. They were all activities that managed to incorporate learning into other activities that we would enjoy doing.
How did you manage language barriers?
The summer before I went to France, I did forty days on Duolingo, and I was like, “I got this”—and then I didn't. But the teachers there are very understanding. People come into the program at all different levels of language proficiency, so everyone starts at a different place. They are very accommodating—you take a test at the beginning of the year, so they know where your language skills are at. They grade you based on your progression instead of mastery, so it's fair for everyone. Your host family is crucial—they will only talk to you in French unless English is necessary. When you are in an environment where you need the language to survive and communicate daily, you adapt very quickly. You don’t learn it systematically; you pick up on essential phrases and sayings that are useful day-to-day.
Has your time abroad improved your language skills?
I will admit that I regret not taking full advantage of the language resources there. Even though my main priority wasn’t necessarily mastering the language, I definitely improved a lot.
Did you participate in any cultural activities? How did they contribute to your experience abroad?
Yeah, one day my friends and I just randomly stumbled upon this big parade/march at the city center. Everyone was wearing different costumes, and there were all these performances. They were celebrating pride and spirit in Brittany, which was the part of the region we were in. We randomly bumped into this celebration, but we felt very connected to culture and saw how alive and important Brittany culture is to Rennes, which was the city where we stayed. There was all this history from just walking around—seeing the walls and chateau was also super cool.
Did you face any unexpected challenges? How did you overcome them?
Yeah, one thing I had issues with was food. I am a very picky eater, and French people have very different eating habits—that was something that I didn’t expect the magnitude of beforehand. I remember I would be in my bed bawling because I wanted fried rice or something. Eventually, I found Chinese markets and connected with people who had lived in Rennes for many years but were also from China or parts of America where I had lived. I eventually adapted to enjoy traditional French food and learned to be more adventurous and open-minded. The food was not what I expected it to be at all—French food on a daily basis is very different from what you perceive as French cuisine. There were a lot of baguettes—I ate them with every meal, but those were fire—to this day, I still miss them so much. But also, I don’t eat cheese, and they had cheese with every single meal, which was difficult. They also ate a lot of potatoes—an amount I wasn’t expecting. Sometimes dinner was a pot of barely-seasoned water-boiled potatoes—I wasn’t used to that at first.
What was your highlight?
My favorite memory was going to Paris with my friends. We had so much fun scootering through Paris, visiting the Eiffel Tower at night, and sitting by the Seine River—it was very cliche and romantic, but it was really cute.
What was your lowlight?
My worst experience would be during the winter. Last year, when we were in France, serious protests were going on. Sometimes, the buses would stop, and getting home or going to school would be difficult. The bus stop windows were smashed, there were smoke bombs, and police were carrying AKs. As fascinating as it was to witness as a part of history, it did heavily obstruct our daily lives.
How would you rate your overall experience from 1-10?
I would give it an 8 out of 10. If I could do it again, I would. It was very transformative and formative—it contributed a large part to who I am today, as a large chunk of my identity came from that experience.
What is your biggest takeaway?
There is so much more out there. I saw an entirely new way of living in Europe that was different from the American and Chinese work ethic—anything I had grown up around. Their lifestyles and priorities were different—it reminded me to stay open-minded about my life, especially. There were so many different ways of living that I hadn’t been aware of.
Do you have any advice for someone considering studying abroad?
I would say just be open-minded about every possibility. Just try it!