Mia Harrison

Host university: the Université de Reims, France

What degree are you studying at UTS?
Bachelor of Arts in Communications (Media Arts and Production) and Bachelor of Arts in International Studies majoring in France.

What country/city/university did you visit for your Exchange semester?
I went to the Université de Reims in the Champagne region of France in 2013 as part of my in-country study.

Reims is a beautiful town. It’s that middle ground between being just big enough to have everything you need so you don’t feel isolated. It’s very historical; it’s got a beautiful cathedral and the centre is very much like how you’d imagine a French town, with cobblestone roads and you walk everywhere. It’s also 40 minutes from Paris by the TGV and 30 minutes from Disneyland – we got a year’s pass for there and went there five times!

I had lots of situations that I found difficult, mainly anything that happened over the phone with, say, electricity companies because generally the people didn’t speak English at all when you called them. But I never really had a hump to get over. To begin with you just think of it as a holiday and then you don’t really know at what stage you stopped thinking of it as a holiday.

I assimilated more towards the end and I learnt a lot about the champagne industry because I compared three very different champagne houses for my in-country study research project. I did Moet et Chandon, which is obviously huge, and a really little one called Suenen Champagne, which only makes a few thousand bottles a year. The owner runs it out of his house – I went there and he showed me his big shed at the back where he makes the champagne. I got to taste the difference between a ‘ready’ champagne and one that won’t be ready for six years – he usually only gives that kind of tour to people in the industry.

I lived on my own in a studio. It was a little more expensive than the student accommodation, but still fairly affordable compared to Australia. The people that worked there were very supportive and all knew me by name at reception. Because the accommodation experience was so simple, everything else was simple.

After the language school, we went to the main school. I did one subject about superheroes, which was really cool, and another that was all about postmodernity and hypermodernity. It was really interesting, but because it was third year subject, it was a little tricky and the language was a lot more complicated. I also did children and young adult literature, and one about zombies, monsters and vampires. They all complemented my own at UTS subjects quite well.

It was the first time I’d lived away from home, and the main thing I learnt is that it’s going to be pretty rare that you’re going to be in a situation you can’t deal with. It takes away that fear of the unknown factor. Now I could say I could just go and live in a different country. Even if I didn’t speak the language, I’d have the confidence to do that.

I don’t think anything’s made me grow as a person as much as going on exchange did. Meeting people from a completely different culture is also pretty massive; even if you don’t stay friends with any of them you’ll still have that. I have absolutely no regrets.