Clare : "This connection with France will stay with me throughout my life"
Clare is a Doctor in French Studies, currently teaching at the University of Bristol. She was one of the alumnae from our Entente Cordiale Scholarship and has now been selected as a Young Leader by the Franco-British Council. Discover how her story started... In France!
Tell us a bit about yourself
I’m Clare, I’m originally from Rutland, the UK’s smallest county. I studied French for my BA and then I completed a PhD in French Studies.
During my BA, I studied in Bordeaux for a year, taking classes in French literature, anthropology, history, English linguistics (which I thought was going to be easy, I was wrong!). This year was an incredible experience that really broadened my horizons, both academic by being able to choose what I wanted to study, and personally – I met some of my best friends during this year, both French and other students on exchange, and I met my now-husband, who was a German student there.
During my PhD, I went back to France, this time as a student attached to Paris Nanterre. I attended some of their master and research seminars, and then I completed a lot of archival research for my thesis, which I would then discuss with the academic staff at Nanterre and the postgraduate community there. This was a brilliant time – again, I had exposure to so many new ideas and topics, I met friends and colleagues who I continue to collaborate with, and I got to work within some beautiful surroundings including the Palais-Royal, the Bibliothèque Nationale de France, the Institut national de l’histoire de l’art… the list goes on.
What has been the the biggest surprise whilst in France?
No major shops being open on a Sunday – but then I discovered Sundays were far better spent with friends, walking along rivers, and with my nose in a good book!
Did you keep any habit from your time in France?
Taking a lunch break and sitting down to eat lunch. In the UK we’re often in a rush but having a proper break, taking a quick walk, and getting a change in perspective makes such a difference.
How did studying in France change who you are as a person and impact your career?
Studying in France opened up a world of opportunities for me. I thought I was going to become a lawyer, but with more time to explore French culture and think about what interested me, I chose academia and my time in France was instrumental in managing to get a job in that area. I worked again in France after my PhD and now I’m back in the UK I work with a lot of French colleagues. I know this connection with France will stay with me throughout my life.
Would you recommend studying in France to somebody else?
Absolument !
