Aix-en-Provence, France: The most expensive yet rewarding vacation of my life Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I have found my classes here to be easier than the ones at my home university, but that doesn't mean I'm not learning a great deal. I do not spend much time at all doing homework, but the classes are filled with information that is useful and inspiring. The lack of homework has also given me the opportunity to explore the region, check up with friends and family, and simply soak in my surroundings.

On-site administration of your program

Aside from my disappointment in how much English was spoken while I was at school, the administration was quite organized and helpful. They did everything they could to help out with finding extracurricular activities or to answer questions about classes.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The institute found the housing arrangements for each student. I loved the location and feel of the apartments I ended up with, but my relationship with my host-mother was horrible. It was just the two of us in my house, there was no internet, and there were many misunderstandings because she knew very little English and I am by no means fluent in French. I never felt at home here and it was my biggest disappointment about my experience here in France. I believe it was a simple personality clash, but it was enough that I never really felt comfortable going "home".

The home-stay came with breakfast every morning and dinner 6 days a week. Breakfast was pretty standard as fruit and cereal or bread w/ Nutella. Dinners were whatever my host-mom made, some were better than others, but it was disappointing to never have a say in what was going to be served. Lunch can get quite expensive, but there are some cheap and delicious options close to school. Pizza Capri, for example, has a quarter of a pizza for 2-4 Euro. You may not think it will fill you up, but give it 5 minutes and it does. Crepes a-Go-Go is wonderful and on Le Cours Mirabeau. The portions are huge and not the expensive.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Traveling was absolutely amazing but quite expensive, especially for a student on a tight budget. Simply getting out of the city to do some hiking was one of my favorite things to do. Arles and Avignon were close by and full of history and things to see. If you buy the Cartreize (a bus pass), it makes traveling through Provence a lot cheaper at only 2 Euro/travel day. The excursion to Nice/Cannes was also spectacular, especially because it's only a week after the program starts, so you're still in awe at being in a new country!

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

The city was pretty safe. Luckily I lived in Centre Ville, so I never really felt threatened because there were always other people around. However, many of the students lived a lot farther away and I don't think it was safe for them to walk home alone after dark. Many of them got a taxi or made sure to walk in groups. I don't know much about the healthcare because I haven't needed it yet, but I have confidence that if I do need it, the Program Administrators would be very knowledgeable and willing to help. As for vaccines, I believe I just needed those that are standard for traveling to western Europe.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Most of my disappointment in the program came from the fact that all of the students at the institution spoke with each other in English. However, outside of the Institute, it was pretty much a requirement to speak French, especially for me because my host mom knew very little English. One could get by without knowing much French, but if you really wanted to engage with locals, it was necessary.

Select all that apply

• Host Family
• Apartment

Select all that apply

• Host Family

• The city
• The people

• More French in normal conversation between students
• Home-stay equality