“Nature is something you can really connect with in Le Havre”

Tenzin Dekyi was born in India and travelled outside her country for the first time when she was 18. During her trip, she was smitten with France and decided to deepen her experience of the country and of Europe in general.

Now a second-year student enrolled in the Europe-Asia undergraduate programme on the Le Havre campus, she talks about her day-to-day life on the Normandy Coast, and shares her plans about Europe and the United States.

What courses are you studying at Sciences Po?

I am majoring in Economics, I have courses in History and Public International Law, and I’m also taking two electives in Econometrics and Maths for economists. I have been learning French for two years now and I started Chinese last September. I also attend a public speaking workshop to develop my self-confidence.

After two years living in Le Havre, how do you feel about the city? What is everyday life like here?

I like places that are close to nature, and you can really connect with nature in Le Havre. Here you are close to the sea and the beach, you live with the wind, you see the birds, the seagulls…

I have been to the cities of Etretat and Honfleur, and I definitely have a thing for Honfleur. It is such a beautiful city, I hope to go there again before I leave in May. I also enjoy going to the beach with my friends in the morning. We take the bus to the beach, and we have a walk along the seaside before we start our day on campus. And every Friday, I go to the badminton club, because badminton is my favorite sport.

Students in Le Havre can be supported by a Welcome Family at the beginning of their stay. Did you have a Welcome Family when you arrived?

Yes I had a Welcome Family, a French family from Le Havre. They showed me around, we visited the Normandy region, I went to Honfleur for the first time with them. I haven’t seen them for a while but I really would like to invite them for dinner before I leave in May.

What are your plans for your third undergraduate year abroad?

I’m going to do my third undergraduate year at the University of Warwick, starting in October. There, I intend to study for a Master’s degree in Economics, and then I would like to continue my studies in Economics at Master’s level in the United States. After Europe, it will be time for me to explore other places.