It was during my junior year in high school that I read for my class the book “L’étudiant étranger” (“The Foreign Student”) by Philippe Labro. The story describes a year abroad of a French student who, thanks to a scholarship, goes to America. Set in the 1960s, everything was changing and he could discover many new things in this different country.
This award-winning autobiography made me think a lot, not only about all of these discoveries that the author made, but also about French-American relations. In fact, my junior year was in 2003, when the Bush administration decided to deploy American troops to Iraq. At that time, former French President Jacques Chirac courageously refused to participate in that war. He was soon joined by several countries, including Germany, Austria and Greece in a context of division among the European nations. Response to this active opposition started the boycott of goods like French fries, which quickly became “freedom fries,” thanks to Reps. Robert W. Ney, R-Ohio, and Walter B. Jones, R-North Carolina.
Rather than being bitter and anti-American (like many people in this country think French people are), I started to think about studying abroad in America in order to learn more about this complex nation and to understand the cultural differences.
Feb. 1, 2007, was the day I learned that something amazing was going to happen in my future: I was accepted to the University of Oregon. Between my junior year of high school and now, my senior year in college, I have learned a lot about this country. Going here for real was totally different and was an everyday discovery. Even though this year was stressful with classes, logistical elements and applications for graduate schools, it was a fulfilling year: full of meetings, parties, interesting discussions and visits to new places.
“Why have you chosen this place in America?” was probably the question that I was asked the most this year. I replied many times, “For everything.” In fact, I didn’t know much about Oregon before coming here, but I had been told that it was a “beautiful, green, open-minded and friendly” state. It has been totally true.
Being French in the United States is also interesting to experience. Most of the people have expressed a real interest for this country and its culture. But since I arrived I have been keenly interested by how both countries see and consider each other. I have met many American folks trying to talk in my mother tongue in a beautiful way. Some others leered at my strong accent, but anyway…
In addition, I have had the opportunity to see twice Barack Obama, and once Hillary and Bill Clinton. I think this election is a turning point in American history. Eugene is considered a liberal city and therefore the people that I have met could have probably made me biased, but I know many of you are hungry for a change. I really wish you, therefore, a good election and that American people – like many have told me this year – will not have to say again that they are Canadians when they go to Europe.
Finally, I want to thank all of you. I have spent a fantastic year in this incredible country. When I leave Eugene on Sunday, I’ll go back home but my heart will still stay in this beautiful place forever.
Pierre-Anthony Canovas