Grant Moore
UMBC Faculty-Led: French in France
Majors: Psychology and Gender, Women’s, and Sexuality Studies
Pre-Law Track
Jump To: Predeparture Post, In-Country Post 1, Post 2, Post 3
Predeparture Post
Bonjour, tout le monde (Hello, everybody)! My name is Grant Moore, and I’m a rising junior double-majoring in Psychology and Gender, Women’s, and Sexuality Studies on the Pre-Law track. I am beyond excited to be writing as the Study Abroad Ambassador for the “French in France” Faculty-Led Abroad Program for Summer 2026! Starting this Monday, I’ll be engaging in a unique experience, studying French language and culture at CIDEF, an international French language school within Université Catholique de l’Ouest. As a student going abroad for the second time, I am thrilled to explore the town of Angers, France, and beyond on this journey, expanding my love for global learning!
Studying abroad has always been a dream of mine. Expanding my learning beyond the American perspective and learning from communities and scholars around the world ties really closely to my professional aspirations, which include community-focused advocacy work in the realm of law. However, being a D1 student-athlete on our Men’s Swimming and Diving team at UMBC made a semester-long abroad journey unfeasible. So, finding our faculty-led summer programs has been a blessing! I started my journey abroad with the Global Community Engagement and Social Change Program last summer in Cape Town, South Africa. As a Sondheim Public Affairs Scholar, I was able to travel with fellow scholars through that sponsored trip, creating lasting memories and sparking my continued interest in faculty-led programs. It was fascinating to navigate cultural differences, speak with people in local communities, and generally get a sense for different ways of life. In South Africa, even though we were in a major city, everything had a level of relaxation that we don’t have here in the United States. They foster a collectivist identity rather than an individualistic culture, and caring for one another is a top priority. I think breaking out of your comfort zone and actually living in a different country for the first time is a “canon event,” and it’s an opportunity to learn more about both yourself and communities around the globe.
Now, what got me to choose the French in France program, you may ask? The simple answer is…my heritage. I have tons of extended family members who live in France, and I’ve been studying the language and culture since I was in intermediate school. Between daily Duolingo lessons, classes at school, and the occasional children’s cartoon with the captions switched to “français,” I have now built a foundation in French, which I hope to strengthen through this trip! I’ve interacted with my family from France several times, but I want to explore the country where my family’s name originated. And, what better place to do that than in Angers, France’s greenest city with a rich medieval history! I think having a foundation from studying abroad will be helpful in Angers, because I’m aware of how my body reacts to new environments and extended travel. I do have to say, though, that the flight to Paris (7.5 hours) will be much easier than my flight to Cape Town (16.5 hours)! Once I arrive at the airport in Paris, my host family and professor will be meeting me at the train station to head over to Angers; then, the following day, I will be taking my placement test to decide my coursework for the program! We already completed half of the placement test, which determines our fluency in French through listening and reading comprehension. Now, we’ll be doing the in-person portion of that test, which may include oral communication and other listening questions. That’s one unique thing about this program, though: you don’t know the level of your course until you actually get to the University! I will say that it’s leaving me a little on edge just because I’m a “Type A” kinda guy who wants to have his study plans laid out weeks before the semester starts. But that’s just another way I will be pushed outside of my comfort zone, which is an opportunity to grow!
When I studied abroad in Cape Town, I journaled nearly every day of the program, sitting in our accommodation’s living room by the fireplace, detailing daily adventures and recounting conversations with locals. Now, I have both that opportunity AND this blog to keep my memories fresh and alive! I truly treasure my journals because they are memories I can read back to my kids one day. I can relive my teenage years and reflect on the people, places, food, and unforgettable conversations that made studying abroad so special.
Before I head to France, I’ve been hanging out with friends and family to say some goodbyes before they don’t see me for a while! I’m originally from Goshen, NY (about 1.5 hours North of NYC), so it was nice to have a getaway and explore New England. I watched the Congressional Baseball Game in Washington, D.C., at Nationals Stadium, saw the Massachusetts and Connecticut state capitol buildings, and went to the beach in Rye, NH! Now, I’m back in Baltimore, getting my last bits of diving training in and hanging out with friends and teammates before I depart. I’m writing this with just four days until I depart, so, for now, I’ll leave you with an “au revoir” and “à bientôt” (“goodbye” and “see you soon”)!
In-Country Post #1
Rebonjour (Hello again)! Since I last wrote, I have made my way to Angers, France, settling in at my homestay in Trélazé and finding my footing on CIDEF’s campus!
The journey of getting to JFK was a breeze! To start, one of my teammates on the UMBC Swimming & Diving Team, Hailey Weigand, traveled with me the entire way to the Angers train station! My partner drove us to JFK International Airport (where security was an absolute pleasure, may I say), we got onto our 7-hour-long flight, and then navigated to the train station in Paris to Angers! Honestly, having someone to travel alongside has made the process incredibly easy. Being able to bounce ideas off of one another, use our navigation strengths to find our destinations, and make sure our French is in check before speaking to others is super convenient! Also, when Hailey and I were at the airport in Paris, we met another guy (his name is Logan) who is a part of our program at CIDEF – it really is a small world! We introduced ourselves, talked about our travels, and then made our way to our separate train cars before arriving in Angers. But shortly after getting to the train station in Angers, Hailey and Logan found their host families and left with them, and I waited for a few minutes before meeting my host and roommate.
On the first day of the program at CIDEF, we took a placement test so the faculty could place us in the best class for our current level of French. And then, after that, we had our orientation! We broke up into groups (and I happened to be in the same group as Logan, which was nice!) by last name, played some icebreaker games, got to tour the university, and then explored the city of Angers! We visited Angers Castle, the Angers Cathedral, and multiple parks in the city center. It was incredibly beautiful! For those who don’t know, Angers is the greenest city in France. They take extreme caution in how much they’re contributing to pollution and make sure their transportation, businesses, and products are all sustainable! So, all of the spaces we visited felt fresh and alive – it was super refreshing!
One unfortunate thing is that France has been going through an insane heatwave, and there’s going to be another mini heatwave next week. It’s going to reach 95 to 100 degrees! And, with no air conditioning, the houses and classrooms will be incredibly hot. That’s just one of many things I’ve had to get used to fairly quickly! Luckily, though, I bought a portable fan with an ice plate on it so I can get some cool air if needed. There are a lot of students who didn’t come prepared for that, and they are definitely paying the price! Even with my fan, the heat definitely got to us after orientation, and so Logan and I went to McDonald’s after the tour of Angers to get some cold drinks and food! If you ever come to Europe, you will notice that many drinks don’t come with ice. With a big chain like McDonald’s, however, you can easily choose to have ice. That’s something I’m definitely going to take advantage of in this tremendous heat!
I took French classes in high school up to the college level, but I haven’t been in a formal French class for two years, so this experience is going to be interesting! My speaking proficiency is not nearly what it used to be, but the fluency test still felt okay. However, I have definitely noticed that I’ve felt more tired than usual when speaking French for the entire day – I think it’s the mixture of thinking really hard to speak and the massive amount of steps we are walking each day! In Europe, because cities are so compact, most people don’t drive everywhere as we do in the U.S.; rather, they walk! So, after exploring Angers today and getting to know the university, I accumulated over 20,000 steps!!!
Another cultural difference that I enjoy here in France is that there isn’t a rush for meals. They feel more like a time to connect with your friends and family as opposed to a part of a checklist for your day. Especially being a D1 athlete at UMBC, I am used to having meals on the go when I am balancing classes, practices, lifts, meetings, and extracurriculars. But here, each night we have dinner and engage in conversations that last for an hour to an hour and a half, and it’s really nice to form those close bonds! I do have another student studying here with me, and he is from Utah. He’s also an athlete and does backcountry skiing, which is very niche! He’s fluent in both French and English, so it has been an absolute blessing to have someone who can clear up my confusion if locals are speaking really fast!
I am really looking forward to starting my classes tomorrow. I will be in class pretty much every day from 8-4, excluding weekends. So, it’ll be busy, but I’m very excited to improve my French skills!
Donc, à bientôt, mes amis (So, see you later, my friends)!
In-Country Post #2
Bonjour, mes amis (Hello, my friends)! We are now approaching the near halfway point of the program, which feels insane to say! While it feels like I’ve learned so much and voyaged around tons of beautiful towns/cities, I’m shocked at how quickly the program is moving. With that, the first week and a half of classes have been nothing short of eventful! After the placement test, I was sorted into the most difficult course being offered this summer at UCO. There are 7 different classes, ranging from A1-B2 fluency. I ended up with Group 7 in the B2 class, which is basically the level of functional fluency. However, after going through all of my classes within two days, I found it to be a tad too difficult, and I ended up moving down to Group 6 with a B1 fluency level.
In the program at CIDEF, we have various French courses broken up into a few categories: language, oral comprehension, conversation, and culture + heritage. Our courses are intensive, so we are being taught by native French speakers, which can definitely be daunting at times. However, I’ve noticed very rapidly that my listening skills have improved exponentially! It’s funny, though, because I’ve noticed myself starting to think in French during everyday conversations. It got to the point where I thought an English conversation was happening in French, and only after 20 seconds of confusion did I realize my misunderstanding!
This past weekend, I took my first excursion to Mont-Saint-Michel and Saint-Malo, two beautiful coastal cities. Mont-Saint-Michel is a tidal island and commune in Normandy, France, and has become a major tourist destination. The island is surrounded by beaches at low tide, but when the tide rises, Mont-Saint-Michel becomes inaccessible by land. You can only take a bridge over to access the small town and massive cathedral. Our time on the island was filled with photoshoots, discovering the seemingly endless hidden rooms in the cathedral, and taking in the beautiful scenery.
Then, after two hours of exploring, we took an hour-long bus ride to Saint-Malo (which was the perfect duration for a power nap, I must say)! Saint-Malo truly blew me away. As my classmates and I wandered the streets, I couldn’t help but think that Saint-Malo is a picturesque place to retire, lol!
The beaches of Saint-Malo are serene; you would never think it’s the Atlantic Ocean, because it seems like the Mediterranean! With green-blue waters and a perfectly clean shoreline, I couldn’t help but stare in awe. Also, while we left Angers’ 95-degree heat, the coastal cities never got above 70 degrees while we visited, so it was a nice break from the heat as well! Before coming to Angers, I read a book titled All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr, which tells the story of a young blind girl navigating Saint-Malo during World War II. It just so happens that I was able to find the actual house that Marie-Laure—the protagonist—lived in! It felt like I had more of a personal connection to the city because of that. Regardless, the rest of our visit consisted of having a “pique-nique” (picnic) and reminiscing about our first classes and memories of the trip.
In this second week of classes, we aren’t always going from 8:30 to 5:00. Some days there’s class until 3:10 or 4:15; it really depends on the day! On Monday the 6th, my friends and I finished school at 3:10 and visited the Angers Castle, the home of the world’s largest preserved tapestry! I was left speechless because this tapestry—which is 100 meters long—was made by hand and depicts the last book of the Bible. It consists of depictions of famine, plague, and the 100 Years’ War, which were all fascinating!
On a different note, as a D1 diver at UMBC, it’s a tad unfortunate that the only pool with diving boards here in Angers is temporarily closed! I’ve been trying to stay on top of my conditioning and technique work outside of the water, though. But with how often I’m walking—whether from class to class, in the city center, or home from school—I’m getting my workouts in for sure! The “canicule” (French for “heatwave”) is in full swing now, so classrooms and houses are upwards of 90 degrees—in fact, when I was on the bus just today, it was over 110 degrees! A lot of people in a small bus with no air ventilation really warm up fast. It’s a good thing I love the heat!
Because I ended up changing my classes after a few days, I’m currently doing the work for both my current classes and the ones I missed during the first week of class, so it has been busy to say the least! However, there’s nowhere I’d rather do homework than by a park or a beautiful castle – they really do motivate me! The end of this second week consists of our first round of exams, and then we will begin our next units of content.
So, with that, wish me luck on my exams, and… au revoir (goodbye)!
In-Country Post #3
It has been another jam-packed and exciting week here in Angers! Fortunately for us, because we just finished our midterms, this week has had much shorter classes! It’s been nice to explore more of the city and neighboring towns of Angers, go to the pool a few times, and relax with friends!
Midterms finished at the end of last week, and I’m preparing to get started with finals now! This program has really helped broaden my perspective as to how quickly you can get used to a foreign language – the progress you can make in just 4 short weeks is impeccable! Between learning new vocabulary, new verb tenses, new phrases/conversational terms, and speaking for most of the day in French, the program has really flown by! As I go into finals season, though, I should point out that the grading system for our classes is a tad different than normal. French classes are graded out of 20, and the grading from professors is much harsher than in the United States. So, to offset that, there is a curve for our program so it’s comparable to classes at UMBC!
The second (and final) excursion of my program included visiting the Loire Valley Castles, specifically Chenonceau and Chambord! We went to Chenonceau first, and the property is nothing short of amazing! Not only was there a serene castle, but there were multiple gardens, a restaurant, and various scattered pathways through the stunning surrounding forest areas! A fun fact about Chenonceau is that its property was on the border of the free versus occupied territory by the Nazis during World War 2. The castle was built on the Cher river, which was on that demarcation line, and it was incredibly neat to learn about! I must say, though, that this castle gave Beauty and the Beast energy, which I absolutely adored. My professional camera definitely worked overtime with that first leg of the trip!
Just an hour away from Chenonceau is the largest castle of the Loire Valley, Chambord. This castle was mostly used as a hunting lodge, but it is now an open space for tourism. The architecture is the main highlight of this building, and without guidance it’s very easy to get lost in (totally not speaking from experience or anything…)! After viewing the multiple floors containing over 4,500 art pieces, we headed back home to Angers. It was another amazing experience with even more amazing people!
On another fun note, France’s Independence Day is called Bastille Day and is on July 14. Because this is a national holiday, we got the entire day off from school! So, my friends and I decided to take the train and go to Pornichet, a scenic city on the west coast of France! The beaches were absolutely stunning, and it wasn’t too crowded considering the whole country had the day off! When my friends and I would go to the Belle Beille pool close to UCO, it would be required for men to wear speedos, and you weren’t allowed to wear normal swimming suits/trunks. I had packed my speedos from diving, luckily. However, at the beaches in Pornichet, everyone else besides me was wearing swimming trunks! I guess it’s a common thing to wear speedos in public pools and swimming trunks when in larger bodies of water!
I will say, one of the most exciting progressions of this experience so far has been cheering for France in the World Cup! Sadly, as I’m writing this post, France just lost to Spain in the semifinals 0-2, and the entire city of Angers was super disappointed! Throughout the tournament, there was a sense of unity through these games, with families (including very young children) going out to restaurants and pubs to watch the games with the community! Whenever you would walk through the city center, every store had a TV streaming the game. Even if there wasn’t standing room inside, there would be crowds of people outside peeking through the windows! On top of that, if you didn’t know anybody that was out with you, it didn’t matter – you were both rooting for the same team, so you were friends! I met a few incredible French people who opened up their tables and started conversation with me while watching the game! It has been such a cool cultural experience, and I can’t wait to watch the third-place game for France’s last match!
I will report back next week with my final thoughts from the program and some additions of upcoming activities with fellow retrievers from UMBC! À plus tard (Talk to you later)!