Moving to France came with its hardships and advantages for English teacher and Yearbook Adviser, Sarah Clinet. For nine years Clinet experienced the challenge of being away from her home in Philadelphia and adapting to her new life in Tarbes, France. Colliding her two new worlds is something she struggles with after her dedication to each culture.
In America and France, Clinet feels that being an immigrant has become integral to her identity. After applying to college for her master’s through the French Embassy alongside other Americans, she acquired a spot and adapted to her new French lifestyle, which was challenging after growing up in America.
“It was my identifier, I was ‘Sarah la américaine’ during the entire nine years I was there, and I never truly felt French,” Clinet said. “Then I moved here, and I never felt more French in my life. The first essay we wrote, my teacher told me I was too direct, too Anglo-Saxon, and that it wasn’t the French way.”
Navigating between moves, Clinet faced challenges beyond academics. Being away from family and not attending important life events hit to the core for Clinet.
“I missed my sister’s graduation from high school, my brother’s graduation from college, I missed a lot of family weddings just because it didn’t correspond with my school calendar,” Clinet said. “I missed a lot of those events.”
After adjusting to French customs, Clinet had to learn how to find balance and meet the expectations in both France and the United States. With varying standards in each country, transitioning into adulthood in each country required her to reshape her habits.
“I learned how to do all those adult things after college in France,” Clinet said. “Then when I moved back at 30, I had no idea how to do anything. Having lived there for so long, and then moving back I kind of feel like I was stuck in between two places.”
Even with the hardships, Clinet still has a place for France in her heart. The memories of her lifestyle there, the proximity to diverse cultures and her own cultural experiences remain indelible in her mind.
“I think in France, there is an appreciation for life,” Clinet said. “The work week in some ways is not as crazy, and they have a balanced school calendar. I miss that ability to travel and I miss the challenge of living every day in a foreign language.”
