IES Paris: French Studies

I actually loved my experience with IES Paris. First off, my daily activities gave me a really great way to experience Paris and French culture. I lived with a French woman in a beautiful apartment in the 16th, I took the metro daily and walked through a market district to school. The classes, taught by professors from French universities at the IES center were interesting and certainly challenging. I never felt overwhelmed though, especially as I was taking all of my classes entirely in my second language. I felt as if the classes I took (sociology, grammar, film studies, literature) were also tailored to better understanding the culture and the history of France. I also had the amazing opportunity to work in a French start-up through a tech incubator. It was incredible getting real experience working abroad. In my free time and on weekends I could travel around Europe or explore Paris, which is amazing. I would go to French movies, museums, shopping and explore parks. I wish I could have spent more time outside, but sadly I was there in winter and early spring. Overall, I would say that my experience made me test my own confidence and self-sufficiency. I am much more aware of my ability to succeed and to rise to challenging situations. The IES staff were always helpful and always seemed genuinely interested in helping and improving the quality of student life.