Aix-en-Provence provides an outstanding study abroad experience Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

My photography teacher (an American) was wonderful and really engaged us in our subject matter. However, my french teacher, native to a French-speaking African country, taught in a much different style than we were all used to and was inexperienced as a teacher overall. As a class, we students felt that we did not get as much out of the classroom as we expected due to this barrier and cultural difference in educating.

On-site administration of your program

There was great faculty/student interaction and they were very accessible to the students. They were open to our comments and welcomed any questions we had about anything. They also were very concerned about our comfort and ensuring we got the most out of the culture as possible. There was a balanced mix of Americans, foreigners, and Americans who had lived in France for a long time so it was nice to be able to compare points of view. I loved the program size (about 35 students), and we all became very close and had a lot of fun together on the great excursions and institute-organized events. This program exceeded my expectations!

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I lived with one older woman who was extremely nice and treated my roommate and me like daughters. She was extremely welcoming and well-prepared with things for us and to make our stay comfortable. She met and went beyond all the program's expectations of host families by doing our laundry whenever we needed, giving us delicious meals and taking requests, and she really took us into her home. I only bought personal necessities from a local pharmacy - linens, towels, and all other expected items were provided. The house was beautiful and simple, set far back from the street and with a yard, about a 15 minute walk from the school, and very close to the center of town and main streets.

She was an excellent cook and took note of all of our favorite foods and regularly gave us things we liked. Everything was delicious and most was homemade.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

We took trips every weekend to neighboring cities, mostly in Provence and always staying within France. We discovered many fun places, restaurants, cafes, bars, etc. that were very welcoming and treated us well because we became regulars and were friendly to them. The music festival in Aix and art festival in Avignon were both very interesting and popular, as well as the Bastille Day festivities in Paris. Our program took us to some small, quaint villages around Provence, and also to some gorges and a lake that were both beautiful.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

The health issues were addressed and we had enough information, but were not strongly addressed in depth unless there was an actual problem and someone needed help. We all had health cards and necessary phone numbers of both local services and the program faculty in case of an emergency. Aix felt very safe, but just like in any city it was necessary to be cautious at night and to never walk by yourself when out late. I had no health issues.

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

This was entirely because I was immersed in the culture, and not in the classroom. I primarily spoke French with my host family and with people in shops, restaurants, etc. which was very worth it and improved my French speaking and understanding dramatically. Although many people in Aix did speak English, I avoided speaking it so as to utilize and improve my French as much as possible. Aix is a relatively touristy town (cruise ships make day-trips there during the summer), so many of the locals speak English but it's not prevalent.

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• Host Family

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• Host Family

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• Americans