Week 1 in Rennes, Brittany (France)

Bienvenue et Bonjour!

Today marks the end of my first week in France! In honor of my first post about my travel experiences in France, I will give a short summary of the purpose of this semester abroad in Rennes.

I am studying Management Information Systems and International Business at the Shidler College of Business at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa. It has always been an important goal of mine to study abroad for a semester in college and this semester it's finally happening! I am the first student from UH Mānoa to study at ESC Rennes School of Business (École Supérieure de Commerce de Rennes) in Rennes, France through the Mānoa International Exchange (MIX) Program. Learn more on my page "ESC Rennes!"

I am one of three Shidler College of Business students who received the substantial $5,000 Johnson Study Abroad Scholarship for 2015-2016. I would like to thank Mr. William Johnson for his support and assistance through the Johnson Scholarship that made my study abroad to France possible. I am honored to have been chosen for this prestigious scholarship and will honor my commitment to Shidler's standards of academic and professional excellency. As a representative of Shidler College of Business, the University of Hawaii at Mānoa, and the United States, I will uphold the values and commitments expected of me. For more information about the Johnson Scholarship, please visit this link.

My first couple of days here in Rennes were rough to say the least. I spent my first night in an AirBNB and the next three nights in a youth hostel called Auberge des Jeunesse de Rennes while I looked for more permanent housing. Other than my housing debacle, I had a great time meeting new people! Keep an eye out for my post about my newfound friends literally from around the world!

Because I arrived a full week early, Orientation Week was filled with finding a place to live, meeting new friends, getting acquainted with Rennes, and taking care of administrative matters like getting a French phone plan and finding the nearest grocery store. Now that I have gotten most of that done, I am excited to start classes tomorrow! Below are some pictures from my first week here in Rennes.

Traveling & Arriving in Rennes

 

Host Family

(pictures coming soon once I finish unpacking!)

Touring Rennes

New International Friends

First group selfie

Alfred (Sweden)

Shanna (China) & Martin (Slovakia)

Taiwanese & American Friends

Amy (Egypt)

4 Colombian Friends & 1 "Panama Jack"

French Cuisine

Baguette, a French staple food

Crêpe au chocolat (not nutella)

Crêpe with ham, cheese, & an egg

Croque Monsieur