Meghan, inspired by a vacation in Belgium to do a WHV in France

Hi, my name is Meghan. I’m 24 years old and I’m from Québec. I studied public communications in university.

I chose France for my WHV because it is close neighbours with Belgium, the country that holds a special place in my heart. Anyone who knows me knows that the three months I had spent in Belgium marked a turning point in my life, so the choice was easy. I also picked France not Belgium for my WHV because there are more bilateral agreements between Québec and France in terms of visa. I embarked on this journey with a specific goal that will take some time to come to fruition.

My first year was one filled with adjustments and learning. The initial months were dedicated to my job search. In the beginning, my goal was to find an employer for whom I could work for the entire duration of my WHV. Things didn’t go as planned. The job search was difficult, I found myself in a judicial liquidation situation, and today I work as a freelancer. Besides work, I’ve travelled extensively. I’ve lost count of the number of weekends where I’ve gone to Brussels and Namur. I’ve also gone back to Budapest, as well as visited Sweden and Denmark, dream destinations of mine.

A lot of life lessons, especially having confidence in life. If something doesn’t go as you hope, it’s because there is something better awaiting you later. It can take several weeks or months, but it’s worth the wait. I think that everything that I’ve experienced during my WHV, the good and the bad, have been beneficial to my personal growth.

I have so many! It’s hard to choose, especially because I look at things with marvel and nostalgia. But I would say that the summer of 2023 is my favourite memory. I really like to make the most of every moment and so I made many spontaneous trips. I also reunited with friends whom I hadn’t seen for a very long time. It was a summer filled with adventure and love.

To me, fear is the best emotion that we can feel. So if you find yourself feeling scared, charge forward. Fear is an indication that you are about to make a decision that will completely change your life, that forces you out of your comfort zone, and that is important for you. I would also advise travellers to make the most of the experience, and to do things for yourself before all else. If you ever find yourself in a situation that doesn’t suit you, leave it as soon as possible. Another piece of advice that I had read (but not followed) is to not be too picky in your job search. Obviously don’t accept offers blindly either. If you sense red flags, trust your instincts. But remind yourself that there’s nothing wrong with starting out with a basic job, until you’re able to find something in your field or interests.

To keep living my best life in France. Currently floating in a river, I want to anchor myself and make the most of my city: Lille. More travels are surely on the horizon, but I never plan too far in advance, so TBD on where I will go this year… Austria, Norway, or maybe finally Spain. I don’t know yet. But I do know that I will tour the Brittany region of France for a friend’s wedding next September!

In the very beginning, I was living in Madeleine, not Lille proper. So to get to Lille, I had to take the tram. One day, the ticket validation machine wasn’t working. The tram came so I got on without validating. I was headed to the terminus, Lille Flandres. Upon arrival, there were transport authorities waiting already. Great. I showed my transport card and the gentleman asked me to go see his colleague in the back. It was then and there that my inner actress came out. I said that I wasn’t from here, that in Brussels we can validate tickets inside the tram. And with that, the person let me go without any penalty. As the saying goes, fake it till you make it. Or maybe it was just because people from Lille are very nice…