Every year, the University of Guyana welcomes several international students from partner countries (e.g. America, Africa, Europe, etc.). International mobility gives these students the opportunity to discover a new culture, learn new subjects and meet new people. This is the case of Néla, a 22-year-old student who came to spend a semester at our university as part of the ERASMUS+ programme. She tells us about her experience.
J y name is Nela Houšková, I'm 22 years old. I come from the Czech Republic, where I am studying French language philology. Philology is the study of a civilisation through handwritten and literary texts. In September 2021, I spent a semester in French Guiana as part of an ERASMUS+ university exchange programme.
Why Guyana?
I got to know French Guiana through my interest in the French overseas regions. I wanted to observe and understand the political and, above all, cultural differences between Europe's overseas regions and continental Europe. French Guiana particularly caught my attention because of its geographical position, but also because it has strong cultural characteristics and social markers, particularly in terms of multilingualism. So I contacted the University of French Guiana to draw up an agreement with my home university. Once the agreement was in place, I was able to go on an international exchange as part of the ERASMUS+ programme. I started my university exchange in September 2021, for a period of 6 months.
Tell us about your time in French Guiana.
During these 6 months, I had the opportunity to visit French Guiana. I spent several days in Saint-Georges, and also went to Régina, Roura and Kourou. The end of my semester in French Guiana was marked by a week's stay in Saül, a natural setting that I really enjoyed. My stay gave me the opportunity to go to Suriname, but also to Brazil during the end-of-year festivities, with another exchange student. We went all the way to Salvador!
What is your field of study?
I'm studying French philology in Prague. I'm particularly interested in multilingualism, because philology isn't just about studying languages through literature! You also learn all about the culture of the countries where these languages are spoken, and how to interact with people according to their codes. You can even observe changes in personality depending on the language you use. I hope to come back later to understand how the French language is used in French Guiana and the characteristics of the local languages.
Did you take any different courses from your programme at the University of Prague?
Yes, I did a degree in literature at the University of Guyana, where I took Creole. It was something new for me. I was able to understand how the Creole language came about. It was difficult to speak it and understand everything, because I didn't have the basic knowledge that the local students had. What's more, I would have liked to have exchanged more with them. I really liked our Creole teacher; her good energy left a lasting impression on me and enriched my life. During the semester, I studied new subjects equivalent to the curriculum at my home university, such as sociolinguistics, 20th century literature and lexicology. These subjects were not part of my curriculum at the University of Prague, so I chose them in order to find out more, but also because they are in line with my original background.
Did you meet any new people?
During my stay, I had the opportunity to meet new people, even though it was relatively difficult to get close to the local students. I got to know people from outside Guyana who were visiting. I got closer to the mobile students and also to my Argentinian flatmate, with whom I had a great time.
