I want to go back!

Although I was always interested in the concept of studying abroad during college, I was on the fence about spending four months in a country where I knew no one. However, I am so glad that I took the chance to go abroad with the Paris Business and International Affairs program of IES Abroad.
First off, the program has great classes for Business and IR students. I am an International Affairs major so the program's offering of History, Security Studies, and Political Science classes perfectly complemented my major. The program also has a language requirement, which is quite useful in not only being able to communicate in the local language, but also to navigate certain cultural differences. We also had excursion trips to Versailles, Normandy, Brussels, and Geneva that were either offered to everyone in the program or were course-specific. These visits supplemented my understanding of French and European history, politics, and culture.
The program's study center is located within Paris, but many of the people in the program, including myself, lived on the outskirts of Paris. However, thanks to the efficiency of the Paris metro system, commuting was hardly an issue. I actually liked living with a host family right outside of Paris because the I area I lived in, Issy-les-Moulineaux, was les touristy and I had the opportunity to practice my French more and be a part of everyday French life. If I wanted to go into Paris, it was on average a 20 minute metro ride. My host family was a retired couple who I had dinner with three times a week. They often would give me advice on which museums to visit and had a huge knowledge of French culture, especially art. It was always interesting comparing American and French customs with them.
My first friend in the program was a girl who lived in the same building as me and we occasionally has dinner at each other's places if one of our families was out of town. She became my morning metro buddy to our class and I still keep in touch with her. The Paris program was made up of around 60 people, so naturally we all became close and bonded over being in a foreign city and seeing each other on a regular basis in class and usually spent time outside of class as well. I made many close friends in my program and they made my experience in Paris even better. It felt surreal picknicking with them in front of the Eiffel tower after class on Thursday or having fresh crepes right before trekking up the winding steps to the top of the Notre Dame, which was worth it when you were able to see the spectacular view of the city.
The staff of the program were such a strong support system. It was typical to have one of them greet you as you headed to class since the program consists of two building located close to the metro station Denfert Rouchereau. The staff led tours within Paris and excursions outside of the city as well. It was the norm to hang out in their office and talk to them about everything ranging from how you were coping with Paris to what American TV shows the French liked. I really felt that the staff and students became my family away from home. There was always something to do offered by the program such as having a lottery to win tickets for different events such as concerts, soccer games, and culinary classes.
My study abroad experience with the Paris BIA of the IES Abroad program was amazing and I highly recommend the program if you are looking to be part of a close-knit community in a big city. The program provided me with life-long memories.