I have always wanted to travel around the world and dreamed about discovering new places and meeting new people then coming back home and telling my stories. 

But I have always been more of a dreamer and scared to do things in real life. I’m a really shy and introverted person. A lot of everyday’s life interactions used to give me anxiety, so I was trying to stay in my comfort zone. 

I heard about the program of “a year in an American high school and host family” at the beginning of the year. This opportunity couldn’t have come at a more perfect time. In fact, I was feeling more at ease with the idea of living in another country than the idea of starting university. Being 18 and finishing high school in France means starting to make your own decisions and be independent, which I wasn’t feeling ready for. 

I knew if I was able to leave for a year it would help me because I would be forced out of my comfort zone and feel more independent. I wanted to push myself intentionally into both what I fear the most and what I have always dreamed about; the unknown.

 It really felt like doing this trip was essential for myself. By discovering people, places, and customs, I would be discovering myself, too. Just because I knew how much this experience was going to offer me, I wasn’t scared anymore.

Michel is an exchange student at CMR this year. She is from Le Mans, France.