Pension Tension

By:

Avery Besson

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Avery Besson

<i>Home Institution</i>: University of Arkansas <i>Expected Graduation Year</i>: 2024 <i>Academic Major / Minor</i>: International Finance <i>Destination</i>: Paris, France <i>"Hello" in your host country's language</i>: Bonjour <i>Program Provider</i>: ISA <i>Demographics</i>: Caucasian/White, Hispanic/Latinx, First-Generation American <i>Future Career Goals</i>: I aspire to work for a global finance company in Paris, France <i>Top Three Study Abroad Goals</i>: Become fluent in French, gain an in-depth global understanding, and develop my senior year Honors thesis

France is in chaos due to President Macron announcing a pension reform raising the retirement age from 62 to 64. It is a part of French culture to go on strike to seek the changes they want, so constant protests are going on. Metros are delayed or shut down, and my classes are canceled due to a lack of transportation. I am genuinely taken aback by the citizen’s motivation and determination for change regardless of the consequences. It is an eye-opening experience to see the country come together as so. The trash collectors have not worked in weeks, and the streets of Paris are beginning to pile up with garbage on every corner. As I don’t know where this will lead or when this will end, Macron states that he must enforce this new law for the greater good of the country regardless of its unpopularity. Other than the protests, Paris is still a beautiful place and a great place to study abroad, as this is only temporary, and the city’s beauty still lives on. As there is less public transportation and canceled classes, I’ve had the opportunity to explore on foot (avoiding the protested areas), the streets more lively, and shop at Le Bon Marchรฉ and Galleries Lafayette. The city has planted flowers now that it is spring, and the weather is getting warmer by the day!