Homesickness & Friendship: A Study Abroad Story

Holly Deiaco-Smith experienced intense homesickness while studying abroad in France at the age of 19. A chance encounter at a local post office unexpectedly changed her experience and blossomed into a lifelong friendship.

A Difficult Start in France

In the early 1990s, Holly Deiaco-Smith embarked on a year-long study abroad program in Nancy, a city in northeastern France, departing from JFK airport in New York City. Initially excited, she soon found herself overwhelmed by feelings of isolation and loneliness.

Navigating daily life proved more challenging than anticipated, particularly due to the language barrier. “I could understand the language somewhat, but I was terrible about speaking it. My accent was terrible. People could not understand me,” Deiaco-Smith explained. This constant struggle to communicate was emotionally draining, leaving her feeling hopeless.

A Care Package and a Kind Stranger

The arrival of a care package from her mother offered a glimmer of hope. It contained a much-craved item: Skippy peanut butter, unavailable in France at the time. “I had these visions of me digging my spoon in and eating my peanut butter right from the jar,” Deiaco-Smith recalled.

However, retrieving the package from the post office proved difficult. The attendant didn’t speak English and struggled to understand Deiaco-Smith’s French accent. Frustrated and on the verge of tears, Deiaco-Smith was about to give up when Chantal Jouve intervened.

An Unexpected Helping Hand

“She stepped in and she looked at me and said, in English, ‘Can I help you?’ And she spoke to the attendant, and within two minutes, the package was in my hands,” Deiaco-Smith said. Jouve then invited Deiaco-Smith to her home for dinner the following Sunday.

A Lasting Connection

Sunday dinners with Jouve and her family became a weekly tradition. “It became a regular thing every Sunday to have dinner with her and her family. It was a safe place for me to practice my French without all those feelings from before, where I would feel sad frustrated. I really felt like I was at home there,” Deiaco-Smith shared.

Decades later, Deiaco-Smith and Jouve remain close, exchanging Christmas cards and visiting each other’s families. “To this day, her act of kindness has influenced my life in many ways,” Deiaco-Smith stated. “I tend to pay attention a little bit more for people who might need help, and I offer kindness and offer that help to a stranger. And I’m forever grateful that Madame Jouve did that for me.”

This story originally appeared on Hidden Brain.