- Please provide a brief description of your STEP Signature Project. Write two or three
sentences describing the main activities your STEP Signature Project entailed.
For my STEP Signature Project, I attended a 5-week program called Français Langue Secondaire (FLS) at Université Laval in Quebec City, Quebec. The program was conducted entirely in French and included two six-credit French language courses as well as extracurricular excursions. The main goal of the program was to better our conversational French and expand our fluency.
- What about your understanding of yourself, your assumptions, or your view of the
world changed/transformed while completing your STEP Signature Project? Write one or
two paragraphs to describe the change or transformation that took place.
Because the United States and Canada are so similar, I was not expecting to see a large change in my view of the world by visiting Quebec. However, this project had a significant impact on my view of learning languages, as well as how to adapt to living in a new country and culture.
Without even realizing it, I possessed a strong bias for the English language before my study abroad. Reflecting on it now, I think my lack of experience with other languages made English seem like the most “useful” language. However, living in Quebec showed me that French, and any other language, can be used in place of English. There are even French words that do not exist in English, such as dépaysement, which is something I definitely experienced in Quebec City. Dépaysement most closely translates to “being un-countried” and is somewhat related to “culture shock.” Learning to speak French in everyday situations, or quotidien, I came to understand that every language presents new opportunities and barriers to communication, and I can see the importance of knowing more than one, as it broadened not only my vocabulary, but the number of people I can communicate with. This, in turn, increased the number of perspectives I could receive, thereby increasing my knowledge and understanding of the world.
Before my STEP project, I had very little experience visiting another country. I had been to Cancun once, but I spent the time at a resort instead of immersing myself in the local culture. Though Canadian culture is very similar to American culture, living in Quebec City was significantly different from living in the US. I was stressed and confused by the new language and new customs, but I came to appreciate differences and nuances. I know this experience will allow me to be more prepared and flexible when travelling abroad or working with people from foreign nations.
- What events, interactions, relationships, or activities during your STEP Signature
Project led to the change/transformation that you discussed in #2, and how did those
affect you? Write three or four paragraphs describing the key aspects of your experiences
completing your STEP Signature Project that led to this change/transformation.
Throughout my time at Université Laval, there were many opportunities for participating in events, having interactions in French, and developing relationships. Because extracurricular activities were included in the program, many of these events occurred during formal excursions or class times. However, regular daily events contributed a lot to the development of my language skills and world view.
Classes at Université Laval were held entirely in French. The two classes I took were “Orale et Ecrit III” and “Orale et Phonetique III.” Though one focused on written French and one on French phonetics, both classes also focused on developing our spoken and conversational abilities. If we didn’t know a word, we had to describe it as best we could using the limited French vocabulary at our disposal. At first this was extremely frustrating, but over the weeks it became much easier to do. Practicing French in this way taught me how flexible all languages are. I began to understand that I do not need to know every single word in order to convey what I need to say, and I also began to appreciate the artistic aspect of speaking a language. When learning a language, it takes creativity to form a full sentence or describe an object you see. Because of this understanding, the French classes I took changed my perspective on learning language and gave me a new appreciation for language arts in general.
The relationships I developed had a significant change on my worldview. I was expecting to only meet American and Canadian students but ended up meeting people from all over the world. One student in my class was Indonesian and spoke no English, so we had to rely completely on French to understand each other. It was the first time that I was able to overcome a true language barrier and have a good conversation without relying on English! I talked with a man from Palestine while we were both cooking dinner in the dorms and learned that he came to Canada to avoid an arranged marriage. Previously, I had only ever considered that women would leave home to escape an arranged marriage, but now I understand that men can be affected by it too. These, and many other interactions, taught me a lot about the similarities and differences between cultures. I am happy to live in the United States, and appreciate it more now than ever.
One of the girls I became closest with, named Narin, was from Iran. When we first met, and she said she was Iranian and I said I was American, she looked at me and said, “Our countries hate each other.” This caught me off guard, but then we both laughed it off and became good friends anyway. We had a lot in common, including the same dark sense of humor! The interaction with her makes me think differently about my future in the Marines. In training, I’ve been reminded multiple times that “right now in China, there is someone training to kill you.” Trust me, hearing that will make you run faster and push harder. It may be true, but like I learned from Narin, that doesn’t mean we couldn’t become friends if the situation was different. I still believe that defense is important work, and I am proud to pursue it. But I have a greater appreciation for how alike all people are, no matter where we’re from. And I really hope we don’t go to war.
In summary, I went to Quebec City to learn French. I did that, but I also learned so much more about the world. Next time I travel abroad, I will have more language tools at my disposal, and a much broader respect and appreciation for other nations and the opportunities and people they possess.
- Why is this change/transformation significant or valuable for your life? Write one or
two paragraphs discussing why this change or development matters and/or relates to your
academic, personal, and/or professional goals and future plans.
Both French fluency and comfort in foreign cultures will be valuable in my future and professional endeavors, in both the Marine Corps and environmental industry.
In the Marine Corps, speaking French would broaden the regions where I could have a strong impact on international diplomacy and relations. North-western Africa, for example, contains many francophone countries. The region is undergoing terrible violence and is becoming increasingly critical for US operations relating to China. Speaking French would let me become a more valuable tool for international communications in the region, and the appreciation for cultural differences that I gained from living in Quebec would help me to be more open-minded and patient.
After the Marine Corps, I would like to work in wildlife conservation or forestry. Because the US and Canada are so geographically and politically similar, we share many similar environmental issues.
Living in Quebec City and studying at Universite Lava helped me become familiar with Canadian culture, which will help me to work alongside Canadians in solving congruent problems. Speaking French will also enhance my ability to communicate and work with Canadians.
In addition to aiding in my career aspirations, speaking a second language will broaden my horizons and perspectives during personal travel abroad, interactions with diverse individuals, and everyday life.
