Tafat Boudif
ISEP Exchange: International Student Exchange Program
Majors: Global Studies, Political Science
Pre-Depature
Bonjour, tout le monde! (Hello, everyone!)
My name is Tafat Boudif, and I am a junior studying Political Science and Global Studies with a French minor. I am currently less than 24 hours away from boarding a plane and starting my study abroad journey! In the midst of a busy fall semester and holiday season, my departure date always seemed so far in between my mounting list of tasks and assignments. But now, as I write this on New Year’s Eve, tomorrow will not only usher in a new year, but also a new semester unlike any other!
As far back as high school, I’ve always wanted to study abroad. With my family living across Algeria, France, and Quebec, I’ve always associated international travel with fond memories of family, fun, and cultural immersion. Thus, when I applied to UMBC and later received helpful guidance and financial support, I knew studying abroad was going to be a part of my college experience. To this day, I am very grateful for all the support I’ve received from my academic departments, the Humanities Scholars Program, and the Education Abroad Office in making my and so many other students’ dreams a reality. And now, flash forward to today, I am only hours away from boarding my flight!
This upcoming semester, I will be studying at the Université de Lille in Lille, France through ISEP Exchange. I chose to study in Lille for a couple of different reasons. First, when choosing which country to study in, I knew I wanted to be in a French-speaking country to develop my French skills. Being Algerian, I’ve always been exposed to French in some shape or form from a very young age, in addition to studying the language in school since sixth grade. However, with some gaps in my French studies, I’ve only been able to make slow progress. Therefore, I’m looking forward to being completely immersed in the French language, especially since my mom is adamant that I come back speaking fluent French! Second, I chose to study at the Université de Lille because I was very interested in the coursework they had to offer. Given that I will be taking my non-French courses in English, sometimes the selection abroad is understandably limited. In fact, I initially switched out of my original ISEP placement because I wasn’t a fan of their courses! However, the Université de Lille has some amazing Political Science/Global Studies courses to choose from, in addition to offering an intensive French course for international students tailored to their individual level! Finally, I chose to study in Lille because I have a bunch of family members that live across France and a good number that even live in Lille. Thus, I’m looking forward to seeing them outside of our regular trips back home to Algeria.
Although I am looking forward to all the excitement that Lille has to offer, a lot of preparation went into planning my study abroad. These past couple of weeks, I’ve been completing a number of administrative tasks, including providing documents, purchasing housing and health insurance, and making sure I have all the necessary documents for a smooth arrival. In fact, a huge part of this process was finally applying for a French passport since I qualify for French citizenship. And if you know anything about dealing with embassies or consulates, you can imagine how that went (except make it ten times worse because I had to deal with it in French, which so conveniently leaves my brain when I’m in the French consulate!). With that being said, please start your visa/passport applications as early as possible for your own mental well-being! And of course, there is always the dreaded task of packing. I was actually quite nervous about fitting everything I needed for five months into my backpack, carry-on, and checked suitcase, but I’m very proud to say that I actually succeeded through some strict realism (tip: if you have to think about it, don’t pack it, you’re definitely going to go shopping abroad!).
While planning for study abroad can be overwhelming, I’ve also had a lot of fun these past couple of weeks to balance it out. I’ve been spending time with family and loved ones, especially during the holiday season. On Christmas Eve, my sister and I did some baking. And on Christmas Day, my family has the tradition of going to the movie theater, and this year, we watched Avatar: Fire and Ash. I also saw Zootopia 2 a couple weeks prior, which was phenomenal. The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is also going on right now, so my family has been tuning in to Algeria’s matches. As of today, they have won all their matches, so fingers crossed we secure a third tournament win! There’s also plenty to look forward to once I land in France! I’ve been texting with a couple other students studying abroad in Lille, so I’m super excited to meet all of them.
For most students, studying abroad is a mix of emotions. Although I’m super excited to embark on my study abroad journey, I’m also really sad to leave my family and friends. This will be the longest time I’ve ever been away from my family, so I know that I’m going to be missing them a lot. But, despite my fears and anxieties, studying abroad is a once in a lifetime opportunity. While it may seem daunting, it comforts me to know that every international student there, and every student who has come before me, has probably experienced the same exact feelings. Hence, I will do my very best to push those feelings aside and jump at every opportunity to experience something new and forge a new connection.
With that being said, it is time to shut my laptop and prepare for my travels! Tomorrow, we have a layover in Boston, a flight to Paris, and then a train ride to Lille. Thank you for joining me in my journey and I can’t wait to update you on my time in Lille! À tout à l’heure! (See you later!)