When Sophia Schrock started her academic journey at Oregon State University, she never imagined she would graduate with an offer to teach in France. With aspirations as a future zoologist in Africa, she set her sights on becoming fluent in a language that will help her achieve her dreams.

With an understanding that language immersion would be the best way for her to become fluent in French, she spoke with the OSU Office of Global Opportunities and was directed to the French intensive language program hosted in Lyon, France. Little did she know, her semester abroad in Lyon would only be the start of her quest to learn French.

Schrock stayed with a host family and found that they were a resource for not only practicing the language but understanding finer points in French culture as well. “I went into the experience with no expectations, so every day was a new opportunity to observe the city without preconceived notions,” Schrock explains.

While reading about a culture can be informative, nothing quite compares to experiencing customs first-hand. When it comes to birthdays, Schrock discovered how the French celebrate a bit earlier than expected. “When I wrote my birthday down on my study abroad application, I wrote December 10th as 12/10, the American notation. I came downstairs on October 12th and my host family was so excited to wish me a happy birthday. We eventually figured out the confusion and celebrated my ‘unbirthday’ with raclette, a special cheese heated on paddles and scraped onto potatoes and other carbs. I got to have raclette once again on my real birthday a few months later.”

One piece of advice Schrock has for future language immersion students is to care less about making mistakes. “I would go into my local bakery and the lady behind the counter would correct my pronunciation of various pastries until I got it right. As cliché as it sounds, making mistakes is often the best learning tool.”

During her experience in Lyon, Schrock discovered how seemingly small choices can lead to big changes. Though she originally started learning French to work in African conservation efforts later in her career, she found an appreciation for French culture to be an exciting byproduct of her journey so far.

Upon returning to Oregon, she found herself missing the routine of exploring French language and culture. Craving that immersion, she joined the French club on campus. Schrock quickly got involved in leadership positions, first as Vice President and then President of the club. She started French Cinema Nights because she had discovered how much influence the French had on the history of film during her time in Lyon. They watched films such as Papicha and Les Demoiselles de Rochefort to experience French cinema.

Schrock’s continued interest in French led her to apply to the Teaching Assistant Program in France (TAPIF), and she will soon be moving to the town of Laval to help teach English to primary school children. “I’m excited to take this step in my profession. Along with finetuning my French, I will be gaining teaching skills that will help me emphasize the importance of conservation when I am working with wildlife in Africa.”