CEA CAPA Education Abroad Reviews

When I studied in Aix in 2010, it was my first trip to Francd EVER. I had considered Paris, but I really wanted to become more fluent in French, so I chose a smaller city with fewer English speakers. I was not disappointed. Plus my teacher, Monsieur Tissot, was fantastic at improving our language skills in a fun, engaging way. At the same time, Vivienne and her staff were there to help when we needed it--my roommate and I blew a fuse in our apartment at 10pm one night, and they were there to help in less than an hour. Most importantly, the people I met in the program have become my lifelong friends. We have attended each other's weddings and visited each other all over the United States. The stories we tell about our time in Aix never get old. Choose Aix if you are looking for everything there is to love about French culture without the stress of big-city life! You will NOT regret it!

Aix-en-Provence was an truly an amazing experience, and CEA was a large part in making it so memorable. I took part in the French Immersion program in the Summer of 2015 and through it I came to know the beauty of the French culture and people. Aix-en-Provence is the most picturesque town and for a few months you arguably live in a postcard. What is great about living in Aix is that it is the perfect size and you are able to become familiar with the town and form relationships with locals. All the excursions were great, I highly recommend them (you might not always know where you are going but trust George).I recommend Aix because it has so many things to offer and Vivienne and Nancy are very helpful and always know the best places to visit! I recommend Aix to anyone who wants to be able to immerse themselves in a culture, and explore the South of France. Honestly the best part about Aix is that at the end of the day you get gelato and sit by a fountain for hours...so it really is Aix-cellent.

I really loved this study abroad program. Especially when I arrived and received an incredible amount of help and advice from Vivienne, the program director. I made tons of new friends there that I still talk to this day. One thing about being there for the Fall semester I really enjoyed were the activities leading up to Christmas and New Years. With the other students, I was able to try vin chaud for the first time and feel the mistral during walks through the city. The area is bound with ancient history that we could learn about when we visited Avignon and Arles as part of excursions. The location of Aix in the South of France meant that slightly longer than weekend trips were doable to Italy, Monaco, and Spain. I would go back in a heartbeat if I could in order to do things I wasn't able to do when I was there.

I loved my stay in Aix-en-Provence. Vivienne was wonderful, and I only wished I had stayed longer! Great people, great education, and the most beautiful place on earth. I was ok in french when I got there, but definately still a beginner. I improved tremendously... the people in Aix gladly let you practice your French with them. The nightlife was a lot of fun as well, and I loved the people who went with me, of which I knew nobody before going!

Aix was the most amazing city to study abroad in. You had plenty of people that don't know English, which is perfect for learning French. People are extremely accepting of foreigners in Aix, which separates it a lot from the atmosphere in Paris. Vivienne was the most amazing CEA staff member. She was always there to help us though any situation, from housing to travel plans, to planning our excursions. You will not regret choosing Aix!

Have you ever eaten lunch in a cave house that is 100s of years old? I did. Our CEA director Vivienne was amazing at finding unique day trips for us and one of them was to visit Lolo. He is the last of a long line of farmers and lives in a beautiful cave farmhouse where he still prepares farm fresh meals for groups. He is the sweetest old man and his house is amazing to see! If you take a walk around the house and the yard you can see old farming equipment stashed away or simply left out in the elements. Lolo prepared a lovely French lunch for us all while we enjoyed the picturesque view and the Provence sunshine.

While I was in Aix, I turned 21, which is a huge staple in the US. I wasn't going to be able to celebrate with anyone from home. Another girl who became one of my close friends shared a birthday with me, as well. Mama Viv arranged for us to have a nice dinner at Cafe Carrefour with our friends. Everyone sang to us (including the wait staff). Afterwards, we danced around in the cafe and had a fabulous time. It was one of my favorite birthdays, and it was truly unforgettable!

I had only been in France about a week when I got news that my grandpa and one of my cousins had been killed in a car accident back home and that my grandma and aunt and uncle were all in intensive care in the hospital because of the accident. That was on a Sunday that I found out. On Monday morning, I went to the CEA office and let them know what had happened. Although they could probably barely understand me through my tears, they were there for me, which was what I needed at the time. They were so supportive. Once I made it through that initial shock, they continued to make sure that I was doing ok throughout my semester there. It was one of the hardest times in my life, and I couldn't have asked for better people to help me through.

This program changed my life. Everything from the academics at the University to the excursions that we had on the weekends. I had such an authentic awesome semester in Aix. The scenery couldn't have been more amazing. Our apartment was everything that a college student could need. The women in the office were always helpful. I really enjoyed hanging out there, borrowing books, asking questions, and getting advice. The city is such a fun atmosphere as well because there are so many young people in the area. It is so different from Paris and so uniquely French. I wish that I could do this all over again and if I could I would have done a year and set of a semester. In order to become 100% immersed in the program it is really importan I wish that I could do this all over again and if I could I would have done a year and set of a semester.

I went to Aix 7 years ago for a year long study abroad. It was the best experience of my life. I loved the support there. The weekend and day trips were so much fun, and there were also plenty of classes, wine tasting, chocolate tasting etc to choose to do as well. The school program was great and I learned more French with in a month in Aix then I did with 5 years of French language in the U.S. If you're thinking about going to France choose Aix!