Throughout my study abroad experience, I have been extremely fortunate to have had the opportunity to travel around France and see different cities and regions within the country. One of my favorite activities to do in the cities I visit has been to picture what my life would be like if I lived there full-time. What area of the city would I choose to live in? What type of job would I look for? What little cafes and parks would I spend my free time in? The city where I enjoyed visualizing my life the most was definitely Marseille. Over Easter break, I traveled to Marseille for the long weekend with a couple of friends from my program. The city was quite different from my "hometown" of Grenoble tucked away within the Alps, but I quickly fell in love with Marseille's colorful buildings and oceanic views. I could absolutely envision myself living there full-time someday under the right conditions. As the third largest city in France, I imagine it would not be too difficult to find professional opportunities there. I would hope to either put all of the French language skills I have learned this semester into good use by finding work as a translator or to use my studies in political science to secure a job in international relations. If I did live in Marseille full-time, both of these professional tracks would allow me to regularly practice the French language and become more deeply involved in French culture. Another thing I would take advantage of would be the ability to easily travel throughout France and Europe. Marseille boasts the fourth largest airport in France and has major rail connections with most cities throughout the country. Living there would give me the opportunity to explore France as a whole more deeply and learn about its rich history and culture. I would also be very interested in further exploring how French culture differs in Marseille from Grenoble. Even just from the short time I spent in Marseille, I can already tell that there are major differences when it comes to cuisine, dress, accents, and norms. It would be amazing to deepen my understanding of how these cultural nuances differ from other regions in France by spending more time in Marseille and traveling. Overall, I believe that my time spent in Grenoble has really opened my eyes to the possibility of a future living in France full-time.
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