3rd Year Abroad: Fary and Ghana, Finding Her Way

All students in their third year of bachelor's degree (the “3A”) at Sciences Po's College must leave for a year abroad. They can choose to spend their entire year at one of our 478 partner universities or do a mixed year including an internship semester. This international openness is at the heart of Sciences Po's values and offers undergraduate students an unforgettable experience of discovery, sharing and learning.

This summer, we got in touch with several students on their return from 3A and ask them to tell us about this extraordinary year. Meet Fary Gueye, a student who was awarded a Mastercard Foundation scholarship and traveled to Ghana, a country whose diversity confirmed her wish to work in international development.

WHO ARE YOU AND WHY DID YOU CHOSE SCIENCES PO?

My name is Fary Gueye and I'm finish up my last year of Bachelor at Sciences po's Undergraduate College, on the Reims campus, Africa minor.

I wanted to start with this bachelor's degree in political science because I needed to acquire knowledge in sociology, law, economics but also to learn new foreign languages in a culturally diverse environment, and this is exactly what Sciences Po offers.

HOW DID YOU CHOOSE YOUR DESTINATION AND HOST UNIVERSITY?
HOW WAS YOUR EXPERIENCE?

When I learned about the mandatory international mobility set up for our third year, I saw immediatly that it was an opportunity for me to discover Ghana, which has always interested me because of its cultural diversity but also its history.

That is why I placed several of my wishes in this West African country, hoping to be able to study in Accra, its capital. I ended up joining the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), a private institution that allowed me to discover several disciplines that I was not able to study in Reims but also a different system on all levels: political, academic and social. Even if the language barrier was sometimes present - because most of the population speak Twi and / or Gaa, spending a year in Ghana allowed me to perfect my English language skills. I was also able to form my own opinion on Jollof rice and discover very beautiful landscapes with local temperatures around 27°C almost all the time. I had a lot of fun spending time on the beautiful beaches of Accra, traveling across Ghana and its neighboring countries, and all in all enjoying every second of this beautiful experience.

WHAT DID THIS YEAR BRING TO YOUR PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL JOURNEY?

I refined my professional project during this third year. After the two first years in Reims, I already knew that I wanted to do a master's degree in international development at Sciences Po. This desire was confirmed by the courses I took at GIMPA: project management, entrepreneurship but also international law. Accra being a city that hosts a large international community, I was able at the same time to talk to many people who work in fields that are just as interesting as each other. These discoveries, complementing the knowledge already acquired in Reims, led me to the job of consultant in project management for private and public entities working on development issues.

WHAT PIECE OF ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO THE STUDENTS GETTING READY FOR THEIR THIRD YEAR ABROAD?

Choosing an international destination to spend a year there can seem complicated but try not be afraid of the unknown.

In any case, you will discover a place, a culture, a life that you can really enjoy or you will learn to better appreciate what you have. Even if it is above all all a very fullfilling academic experience, it is also the perfect time to try new things, to get out of your comfort zone and to learn more about yourself and the world.

CAN YOU SUM UP YOUR EXPERIENCE IN A WORD?

Always keep an open mind to all possibilities.