Age: 20

Former Residences: Issy-les-Moulineaux (suburb of Paris), Paris

Education Level: 3rd year undergraduate (final year for French licence)

Length of time in NYC: since summer 2014 (until summer 2015, potentially fall 2015, as exchange student and hopeful intern)

Length of time planning to stay in NYC: She would only stay long-term if she had closer friends, a boyfriend, and/or family keeping her here.

Residence in NYC: After moving several times from short stay places, she currently resides in Prospect Park with a French roommate (who is also a study abroad student through the same program as Lucile).

Reason why she came to NYC: Through her exchange program to the U.S., Brooklyn College was one of the best places for film (her major) and it is more convenient than California in terms of commuting without a car.

Biggest difficulties living abroad/cultural differences:

  • She eats the same food everyday and does not have enough money for the food she wants. She also misses the food she would typically eat everyday.
  • She does not have her parents nearby to help her make decisions anymore. (However, this is a result of being a student away from home more so than a general difficulty of living abroad.)
  • Something shocking that she found was the sexual harassment she encountered on the street. She has been catcalled far more often in NYC than in Paris, according to Lucile, probably because her body type is seen as more attractive here. The catcalling is more frequent and more suggestive.

Likes about NYC:

  • The subway system being open 24/7
  • Specifically regarding her film studies, Lucile prefers the hands-on approach that Brooklyn College offers (working on actual film sets) as opposed to the theoretical approach undergraduate universities in France take. A new challenge she is facing though is that she will graduate with a Bachelor’s (licence) in Film, but the degree will come from her French university. Therefore, if she pursues film in France, it will appear as if she has only had a film theory education. But in reality, what she has learned at Brooklyn College is taught at the graduate level in French film schools.

Significant changes in life due to moving to NYC: See biggest difficulties

Social circle in NYC:

  • She meets most of her friends from school, but specifically on the film sets that she works. They are therefore mainly American or immigrant, although some of her closest friends in NYC are French.