Blain Engeda
Blain Engeda (she/her) - Stanford in Paris
Major: Symbolic Systems
College year while abroad: Senior
About the photo: Posing in front of the Arc de Triomphe for the final time, taken right before the Bing Farewell dinner!
Contact
Email Blain or schedule an appointment
Q&As
Why did you choose to study in Paris?
Paris has always been a dream destination for me as a lover of art, theatre, history, and food. I wanted to experience the paintings in-person at the Musée d'Orsay and Louvre and immerse myself into France’s rich culture and history, experiences that could never be obtained in a classroom. The offering of the winter STEM pathway further finalized my decision, allowing me to still have the opportunity to study abroad in Paris without any prior French experience.
What were your expectations before you went and how did they change once you were in Paris?
I came in with many expectations, both positive and negative. I had high expectations for the food, which were surpassed by the boulangeries (getting a pastry was the highlight of my day) but not fully met by the restaurants. Also, seeing all the art in-person was just as beautiful as I had imagined. However, I also feared that French people would be rude and racist. I would describe French people as polite but not outwardly friendly as found in the US. Paris was more diverse than I expected, but I quickly learned that your experience drastically changed based on your nationality. For example, being Black from the US was perceived much more positively than being Black from Africa.
What were some of the academic benefits from studying away in Paris?
I took classes I never would have back on campus. I took a Smartphone Film class that not only allowed me to learn about the history of French film, but to tell my own stories and document my experiences abroad. I also enrolled in an internship teaching elementary school children English, which was an amazing experience. I had never worked with children before, so throwing myself into a new experience in a foreign country was initially nerve-racking. However, the experience was so fulfilling, building relationships with the students, discovering fun ways to teach, and as a by-product improving my French.
What did you learn about yourself while studying away?
I came into the program not knowing a single person, so I was initially terrified about not finding a group to hang out with during the time abroad. However, I quickly realized how open everyone was to making new friends and inviting each other out, and definitely expanded my social skills. I also became a lot more independent. Because of the never-ending list of things to do in Paris, after class I loved to walk around and go to random shops and museums. The program really emphasized finding the happiness in the little things.
What was the most challenging experience you encountered while abroad and what did you learn from it?
The language barrier was often frustrating as someone who came into the program with a few weeks worth of Duolingo. I vividly remember going to a restaurant and ordering a burger in French, unable to understand the waiter’s response. I realized he was listing options but not understanding any of them, so I picked one at random. I ended up getting a completely raw burger. I quickly memorized words like saignant, à point, and bien cuit, and despite many people switching to English when they heard my American accent, continued speaking in French as much as I could. At the end of the program I surprised myself by being capable of a full conversation in French with my Uber driver, managing to communicate about our family, the US vs France, jobs, homelessness, and travel.
What was the biggest cultural adjustment you had to make?
I was not used to the long meals in Paris, with lunches commonly 1-2 hours long, and dinners even longer at about 2-3 hours. As someone who typically ate lunch and ran to class in the span of 15 minutes, this was something new. However, it quickly became one of my favorite parts of the day. Having dinner as a family at the homestay was where I truly got to know them better, asking any questions I had about the culture, sharing stories, and practicing French over some delicious food.
What was your favorite part of everyday life?
I honestly loved the commute to the Stanford campus. Heading out of the homestay and passing by the boulangerie right downstairs that had amazing paninis and Oreo croissants, walking past the Arc de Triomphe on the way to the metro station, and seeing the Eiffel Tower out of the window of the metro are memories that I’ll forever cherish, and never got tired of in the three months of study abroad.
What was the most memorable experience you had while in Paris?
One of my favorite memories was the Bing farewell dinner. Being surrounded by people who were initially strangers and are now great friends, and being able to share our favorite memories and highlights of the program was truly special. It was such a bittersweet moment, having amazing food, getting to dress up, sharing great company, being able to thank the Paris staff for the amazing experiences we had, and enjoying one last night together as a cohort.
What 5 words would you use to describe the experience?
Energizing, historical, delicious, explorative, bonding.
What was your favorite food or music?
Any pastry from a boulangerie, and escargot (snails) were surpisingly delicious. Loved Petit Genie, that song was constantly stuck on replay.
What was the most valuable item you took with you on the program?
Winter clothes, specifically a good jacket, beanie, and gloves. Studying abroad in Paris during winter quarter was freezing as someone born and raised from California, and I had to borrow a hat from my homestay family quite a few times. It snowed a few times, which was amazing!
Please share some details about your internship experience. Who did you work with, what did you do and what did you learn from it?
I participated in the school internship at Ecole Saint-Benoit, teaching elementary-school children English. Every week, myself and three other students spent an hour and a half at the school. Each week was slightly different, but we typically had around 8-10 students in a group, and 4 - 5 groups in a session. We tried to diversify the activities, ranging from flashcards, to Simon Says, to mini-presentations, to 1:1 conversations. As the weeks went by, it was great seeing the kids recognize us and be excited to see us again, and I enjoyed growing our relationship with them. The internship not only helped to improve the children's English, but improved my French as well. It was my first time teaching and working with students, so my creativity and teaching skills definitely improved.