Bonjour! My name is Emma Crandall. I am majoring in Environmental Engineering and part of the class of 2025. I studied at the Syracuse Center in Strasbourg, France in Fall of 2022 and I am studying abroad at the Syracuse Center in Florence, Italy in Spring of 2023!
I chose to study abroad in these programs because of the classes that they offer Engineering students. These programs make it easy for engineering students to go abroad without missing out on any of the classes they need to take. This is very unique to many other schools. I will go back to the main campus, still on track to graduate. Something that was particularly special about studying in Strasbourg was that I was able to take classes at the National Institute of Applied Science (INSA). I took one of the two classes offered to us there and they were taught in English. I was able to meet so many French students and work alongside them throughout the semester. Additionally, each Syracuse student was paired with a student at INSA and they helped introduce us to the city and the school.
Overall, the Strasbourg program is one of the smaller programs that Syracuse offers but this was an aspect that I enjoyed. Because there were less than 50 of us it was very easy to get to know everyone in the program. Something that strengthened this was the trips that we took all together as a program. We spent a day at a French castle and experiencing the Alsatian culture through food and a wine tasting. We also went to Interlaken, Switzerland and Dijon, France. I had a lot of fun on these trips and it was a great way to get to know the people in my program!
I lived with a host family during my stay in Strasbourg and it was a great way to get to know more about French food, traditions, and language. I had never taken French before going to Strasbourg and living with a host family and taking classes with the INSA students was a great way for me to practice.
During my time in Strasbourg, I did a Community Internship at a local rock climbing gym. I worked behind the desk checking climbers in, serving food and drinks at the bar, and cleaning. This was another great opportunity for me to practice my French! It was an awesome way to experience Strasbourg and if I hadn’t, I never would have learned what a big climbing community there is in Strasbourg and France in general. I was able to use the gyms for free and do something I enjoyed and hadn’t anticipated that I would be able to do abroad. Strasbourg really had a lot of opportunities for everyone to continue their interests and hobbies.
Living in Strasbourg and getting to know the city and navigating it was a highlight of my semester. It is a smaller city and sort of off the beaten track, despite its international importance as a Capital of Europe, so I got to know it well! It was also special to see Strasbourg during the Christmas holidays. The city is well known for its Christmas markets and the city just lit up during the holidays and it was so much fun walking around and exploring the markets.
Travelling is very important to me and I was able to travel to Paris, Munich, Barcelona, Madrid, Lisbon, London, Prague, Rome, and more while I was abroad. It was amazing getting to travel with good friends and family whenever it was possible! Going to all these places was an amazing experience but I truly enjoyed spending my time in Strasbourg. It is a beautiful place with lots of history and fun things to explore.
I learned a lot during my time abroad. It is one of the best ways to broaden your view of the world and gain perspective about the cultures and people around you both at home and in your host country. Classes are still challenging and the transition to living in a new place isn’t always seamless, but as long as you advocate for yourself the staff at the Strasbourg Center are more than willing and able to offer any help that you need. It was a time to work hard and play hard and every second was worth it! I truly think it was one of the most influential experiences of my life and I can’t recommend it enough!
Emma Crandall ‘25
Environmental Engineering
Strasbourg Center