In the Amanda Knox Case, The main take away for me was to.
-
Know your rights as a visitor
-
Learn the language to the best of your ability.
-
Understand local laws & learn about the political system you have now stepped into.
-
No matter your age. Be self aware. Be aware of your actions and how they might differ from locals. Be aware of the space you are in and make the most reasonable choices.
Why wasn't her university mentioned in the documentaries? The university is partially in fault for allowing a young girl to travel abroad without taking language classes or a politics class. I truly believe that things would have gone a bit differently if it is a mandatory requirement. Or the school that hosts abroad students should offer the courses. For example, My first time traveling to Japan was amazing because I took a Japanese course in college. Regardless of how I did in the course, I still know how to pronounce the words smoothly and articulate myself. I still know the connotation behind certain words. While I do not blame Amanda for not knowing the language, it's valid to assume that you'll learn when you get over there. Italian is a latin language on paper but if I know anything is that linguistics is far more complex. My maw maw spoke Creole while we were in Paris. Creole is basically the daughter of the French Language. While we were understood, it doesn't mean our words did't rub locals the wrong way. In order to prevent such desparities, Learning language and politics needs to be a requirement in all abroad programs unless the person already knows the language.
1. My target country is still France. I want to confirm that I have not studied in France or lived there. I applied for Aix en Marseille in France for August 2025. I have visited France. Two days in Paris and 1 in Ax Les Thermes but I defintely don't know enough yet.
2. There are two crimes I recently heard about. On BBC News, there is the case of Dawn and Andrew Searle, two Scottish immigrants residing in rural area of Les Pesquies Villefrance-de-Rouergue. The case is fairly new so French investigators are trying to figure out if it was a suicide or homocide. They were hit in the head with a blunt and sharp edged object and were found hung. A box of jewelry was found but no object that can cause that kind of head damage was found.
3. I would say be weary. I mean be weary everywhere because crime exists everywhere. Always be aware of your surroundings. I personally prefer big cities for this reason. I try to avoid secluded areas even in the U.S. It doesn't matter if you lived somewhere your whole life; always think of scenarios and be prepared. Preparation isn't about carrying weapons. Preparation is about changing up your routine every now and then so no one can track you. Preparation is having the nearest embassy on speed dial or having a certain amount of savings in case of a natural disaster. Preparation is knowing your rights whether you are a student, immigrant, someone with a duel citizenship, or just a tourist.
4. France is Country #21 discussed between Pages 256-262.
" Be as imaginative and lively as you can. Embrace speaking French because French was the internationally accepted language of diplomacy and was spoken on four continents. So it's more about staying relevant and preserving their language. " Pg. (259,262) This can be beneficial because learning the language gives you a sense of independence that many French citizens naturally have. Communicating with locals can save a lot of hardships. For example, Ask someone what the safest way back to your apartment. A local might instruct you to stick to the busiest streets or streets where a lot of women are on. This also helps when internet connection is spotty at places like the train station and google translate will not work underground.
Add comment
Comments