I have two takeaways from all my years in France: 1) The language you speak has much to do with your personality. You should really have more than one to understand who you are and who you can be. And 2) though no French person wants to know you well enough so that you can call them in the night and ask for help, they still set an example of independence in their thinking. You can disagree with everyone and still be right. A great thing to know.
