#27 - Decisions

I have spoken with someone in the French department at Birmingham quite a bit who has said he will try to find out what effects leaving France would have on my degree. For sure I won't be able to study French anymore because I havn't met the living abroad or academic requirements to enter final year. I have also emailed the German department because it's more than likely that I will be doing German as a major (to fill the French gap) and Japanese minor.

It's a bit unfortunate that I was stuck with Strasbourg. It wasn't my first choice, or my second. I can't help feeling that if I was somewhere else in France then I would be having a better time. Strasbourg university has not helped me in any way even from the start - no information sent to me over the course of a year, no information when I got here, no sort of introduction to France or the university, nothing for Erasmus students including no kind of Erasmus meeting for that semester, troubles with accommodation, and finally the strikes and troubles with not having lessons. Because of all this it has been stressful and not very nice. And because all this has happened it has meant I havn't met very many people, hardly any in fact. As far as French friends (which I hoped to make in class but we havn't had any...) I havn't met any.

As I said, another city in a different part of France would have probably been better. Since I have been in Strasbourg I have wanted to leave, but at the beginning I was trying to think of the ways it is good for me and how to have a good time. There wasn't many. Even long before I got to Strasbourg I didn't want to be here.

All in all I am not happy in Strasbourg and have no interest in the university here. I still want to study French if possible at Birmingham, but that's more than likely not going to happen, which would then mean I wasted 2 or so years doing work I didn't need to do.

It is very sad that I have not had a good time here. I was hoping for adfrenchture but Strasbourg falls hopelessly short. If anyone reading this is thinking about a year abroad in France - avoid Strasbourg. The city is dull and depressing, and you will be on your own - a problem which was shared by my friend who was here the semester before me. I'm not the only one...

So now I am left wondering if I am makign the right choice to leave. On one hand it will severly impact my degree, on the other I am incredibly lonely and almsot depressed here. It's not exactly and easy choice...