France : Elise Pyatskowit (Daily Life in Tours, France)

August 3, 2023

Daily Life in Tours, France

Elise sits outside a cafe with a drink with whipped cream and a bagel. — Enjoying lunch with my host sister at a café in Tours

Starting my morning, I was first surprised at the simplicity of the French breakfast, often consisting of bread with jam or a pastry, and coffee. After breakfast, I walk to school. The public transportation seems easy here, but I haven’t taken the bus or tram because I don’t mind walking. I’m in school weekday mornings, learning to speak, listen, read, and write in French. Lunch is important to the culture, so even the two days we have school in the afternoon, we still have more than an hour for lunch. Some days I grab a sandwich from a bakery, but other days I opt for a nice lunch and take an time to enjoy it with friends.

During my free time I explore the city. Shopping is abundant in my area, from larger department stores to boutiques. I also enjoy trying cafes or visiting parks. I eat dinner with my host family around 8pm. We take around an hour to eat, and I usually go to bed shortly after if I’m not going out. I try to connect with the culture every part of my day. School is a mix of learning grammar and comprehension, as well as lessons about French culture. I do eat the traditional breakfast foods and try to embrace the lunch culture, often taking my time to savor food from different restaurants. I go shopping or to a park, which is what many French people spend their free time doing. I connect with my host family as we all eat dinner together every night as I learn from them the language and culture of everyday life in France.

Elise smiles in a forest with a dusting of snow.

Elise Pyatskowit

Major: Pre-Nursing

Hometown: Shawano, Wisconsin

Program: Institut de Touraine French Language in France

I chose this program because it is focused on language immersion. During my stay, I will be in class learning French and outside of class, able to work on my skills in real-world interactions. My personal/professional goal is to improve my French speaking and comprehension skills. Wanting to become a nurse, knowing even a little bit of a second language will benefit me and my patients greatly.