Experience France with AIFS Abroad

Since studying abroad, I’ve learned that when experiencing new countries and all cultures, it is a matter of observing people and understanding that we are all different and everybody has their own way of doing things. What a person does in their daily life is often dependent on the region they were born in, and so many other factors. By booking weekend trips to other countries, it has given me a broad sense of culture in France, and has made me miss Cannes every time I leave!

My French professor makes class extremely interactive and my comprehension and speaking skills improved noticeably within just the first few weeks. Cannes is amazing… it never ceases to amaze me when I walk outside and see the sparkling blue Mediterranean.

During my fall semester in Cannes, I was afforded the priceless opportunity of interning with a production and distribution company. This internship taught me what really happens when it comes to marketing television and film in a way that cannot be taught in a classroom. I grew as an individual during my time with the company, and I even managed to find time to practice my French, speaking with people from other international film companies! Besides the internship I had opportunities through AIFS to do such unforgettable things like when we got to pick grapes for wine making with monks on L’île Saint Honorat. Cannes is a place unlike any other, and it is teeming with once-ina-lifetime opportunities. I will forever be indebted to this city that has brought so much joy into my life.

The Campus residence was comfortable and clean. I enjoyed staying there and was always surrounded by great and interesting friends.

For me a homestay was the best option while studying abroad in Grenoble because I knew I would be able to practice speaking my French with my host family. My homestay family has quickly become my family and I will keep in touch with them for years to come. Living with a French family is also an easier way for me to experience and taste different types of French cuisine, lucky for me because my host mother loves cooking and entertaining!

My experience at ABSParis exceeded all expectations I had. Studying the business side of fashion I knew there was no better place for me to enhance my knowledge of the industry than a business school in Paris. ABSParis was the perfect fit. I am so thankful I can now say I have friends all over the world.

My host family were lovely people and well versed in history and the arts. They were very easy going as far as my schedule was concerned which allowed me to be independent.”

Studying in Paris with AIFS was one of the defining experiences of my education. I bonded with the most interesting students in French cooking classes and places like Monet’s house in Giverny, smaller local museums, or hidden Parisian hotspots.

My experience in Paris with AIFS was more than a lesson in gaining cultural competency. It brought to life my undergraduate studies back in the U.S. I was not just looking at a portrait in a textbook; instead I was there to experience the real deal. When I speak with my peers in graduate school I see how much of a privilege it was to study abroad. Traveling with different kinds of people forces you to be mindful of your communication and interpersonal skills, skills that will be integral to success in further study and/or a career.

I have few words for my experience abroad. I have completely fallen in love with Paris and it has become my city. Looking through old journal entries, I found a common thread linking them together: the life lessons I have learned, and perfected, abroad. 

Paris is a mecca of amazing museums, especially for all the art lovers out there. If you want to see masterpieces from some of the greatest artists known to man but only have time to pick one museum, then the Louvre should be at the top of your list! Delacroix, Michelangelo, Raphael, Caravaggio, and, of course, Leonardo da Vinci (and his ever-socrowded Mona Lisa) are all found in this museum.

I have few words for my experience abroad. I have completely fallen in love with Paris and it has become my city. Looking through old journal entries, I found a common thread linking them together: the life lessons I have learned, and perfected, abroad.