AIFS Study Abroad in Grenoble, Language & Culture: Semester

One of the most sought after experiences of studying abroad is to befriend local students and immerse yourself into the culture. Due to the amazing resident director of AIFS in Grenoble, France, I was able to do just that. Miranda created mixers for our program with students from the nearby university giving us an opportunity to meet French students. My friends and I met amazing French students from the engineering school who invited us out to eat dinner together, to cook together, and to see the nightlife together. This program helped me accomplish my goal of becoming fluent in French by putting me in a school of international students learning French as well as my goal of exploring France by going on weekend trips to Paris, Provence, and local towns. If you are looking for a unique experience to study in France, Grenoble is your best bet!

If you want an authentic French experience, come to Grenoble. Grenoble is absolutely breathtaking. The mountains are great for hiking or skiing. It's amazing to go running along the river. If you are an active person, you will fall in love with Grenoble's outdoor activities and more. Even if you aren't very active, you will be charmed by Grenoble's architecture, friendly atmosphere, and the weekend markets. I learned far more than I ever expected in coming here. I went from not being able to speak French hardly at all to having conversations about politics, home improvement, and cultural differences. You will get out what you put in to it. That is the most important thing to remember when you come here or if you go anywhere in general to study abroad. If I could choose where to go for another semester, I would probably still pick Grenoble. I've met so many great international students here. We will be friends for a lifetime. Come to Grenoble, and you won't regret it.

My study abroad semester in Grenoble, France was a once in a lifetime experience that I wouldn't trade for anything. Like many of the students who choose this program, I wanted a truly authentic French experience that I felt I wouldn't find studying in Paris. And an authentic experience is what I got. The city has a population of around 150,000 which I felt was a perfect size for me: not to small, but not to big. My favorite part of living in Grenoble is the fact that the city is surrounded by three different mountain ranges. Every direction that you turn your head in, you can see mountains (if there aren't any 300 year old buildings in the way!) With my study abroad program we were able to take part in several activities and excursions to different places around the city and within the region. These were some of my most favorite memories and things that I got to do while in France. These included snowshoeing in the Alps followed by a relaxing visit to a thermal spa, visiting several vineyards to do some wine tasting, and doing a high ropes course complete with zip line atop one of the mountains surrounding Grenoble. My favorite place that we visited was a monastery tucked away in the Chartreuse mountains (one of the ranges that borders Grenoble.) It was the most beautiful and peaceful place that I have ever been in my life. These experiences along with the day to day authentic experiences of riding trams, visiting cafés, and speaking French made my semester so full and complete. I truly left part of my heart in Grenoble and can't wait until the day that I can go find it again.

I had the most amazing experience in Grenoble. I loved walking through town with my friends, having picnics in place Verdun, and hiking through the nearby mountains with my host family. I really liked my teachers and the courses. I wish we had more forced interaction with the French students at the university though.

Of all of the programs provided for study abroad in Grenoble, AIFS was by far the best possible choice. The faculty was astoundingly helpful and cheerful. We had more opportunities for internships and teaching. We were taken to hockey games and picnics, we had more involvement with the French community as a whole. I could have not have been happier anywhere else. It was exactly the experience I was looking for!

I had such a great experience in Grenoble, France! To start off, Grenoble is a beautiful city. It is big enough not to go stir-crazy, but small enough to be able to get around easily by either walking or public transportation. You can climb "La Bastille" and look out over the entire city or go for walks or runs along the river. There are museums, parks, coffee shops, a mall, and multiple sports arenas for rugby, soccer, and hockey. There is so much to do in Grenoble!

The program director was very helpful with anything and everything that students in this program needed. From figuring out good places to eat lunch to rearranging our flights at the end of the trip, she is outstanding! She organized some trips for us (that are included in the program) but was also helpful when we wanted to plan our own individual trips and needed some guidance. She was there if we needed to talk about anything from school to our host families to homesickness - anything.

My host family was also amazing. They had a nice apartment in the middle of the city. My host brother and sister were older - done with college and moved back home to find work/go to graduate school, so I had a little different experience living with "siblings" that were closer to my own age. My host parents were great cooks, so I had a different meal almost every night, and got to try lots of different vegetables and meals that I had never eaten before. They were very welcoming and relaxed which made it easier for me to blend in with them by watching TV with them after dinner or going for walks to the market.

At school, I learned a lot in my language class and feel that I have really increased my knowledge of the French language and culture. School was very different compared to what I'm used to here in the fact that there weren't very many tests or a lot of homework, but most of your grade counted on class participation and speaking during class. It really forced me to embrace the language and give it my all.

Overall, I had a great time in Grenoble and I cannot wait to go back to visit, hopefully soon!

I loved my semester in Grenoble! The program staff is so supportive and know all sorts of fun things to do around Grenoble. There are so many different things to do that even though I spent almost all of my weekends in Grenoble, I never ran out of fun activities to do: museums, movie theatres, shops, cafés, and of course hiking up the Bastille!

While I did spend most of my time in Grenoble, I took advantage of the trips that the program put together plus a few of my own. The trips that the program staff put together are full of fun sites and activities where you're sure to learn a thing or two about France in the process. The program staff also helped point out fun places to go for my own travel plans and the best ways to get there.

But the best part had to be my host family. I was placed with them by the program director and they were a great fit for my personality. Building a relationship with them took time, but I came to feel like part of their family, playing games, watching movies, or going on a Saturday hike in the countryside all the while improving my French with their help.

Of course, the semester wasn't without its challenges. The occasional strike would happen in the city, making it hard to get to classes on time. Days of mental exhaustion made speaking or understanding French even more of a challenge than normal. And perhaps the oddest challenge was learning to shower without a shower curtain (which is not that uncommon in France). Despite all these challenges, I had a blast during the semester. I made new friends, saw new places, and learned a lot both in and out of the classroom. I wouldn't trade my semester in Grenoble for anything and given the chance, I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat.

My semester that i spent in Grenoble, France was the best semester I have had so far. I have never had more fun, met more amazing people, and learned so much academically and personally. From the moment I arrived in France I was comfortable. Our program director Miranda went above and beyond, making sure that everything went smoothly and without unnecessary road bumps.

My host family was amazing. They instantly welcomed me into their family. The food was amazing, every meal was new and different. I still think fondly about wednesday night pasta night. So good. The initial awkwardness of living in someone else's home faded after the first night after playing board games with my host brother. My host family was instrumental in my stay in France. I always new that I had somewhere that I could go home to and people that really cared about me and wanted to help me in whatever way they could. I miss them immensely now being back in the United States and cannot wait until I can go back and visit them. I know that I will be in contact with them for the rest of my life.

I love Grenoble as a city. I come from a small town in northern NH and had never lived in a city and was a little nervous before leaving about living in a city. It was amazing. From the public transport system to the culture and activities, I was never bored. I could get anywhere I wanted on the tram and the bus system and there was a plethora of things to do. There was free museum weekend, a wine tasting festival, movies, cafes, shopping. Literally, anything I could dream about doing I could do it in Grenoble. Not to mention the city's location. Nestled in the Alps, the city is surrounded by mountains. It's gorgeous. I hiked the Bastille multiple times and its beauty never got old. It was one of the first things that I took my mother to do when she visited me.

I really enjoyed my time as a student at University of Grenoble Stendhal. It was really an incredible experience to be taught by professors of a different culture. It is definitely different than the US, professors do not have office hours and are not as readily available to you as much as they are in the US but I learned an amazing amount by merely letting myself experience something new. Learning went outside the classroom, even ordering a crepe at lunch became a lesson. My professor for my language classes was incredible and I still listen to my playlist of classes that I accumulated from him classes. He made learning french fun. He included popular films that were always very french and a tad bit bizarre, classic french songs that we got to sing in language lab, and his personality just made learning that much more fun. I really enjoyed my semester at the University of Grenoble and can say that my french definitely improved by leaps and bounds.

I would most definitely recommend this program to a friend. Anyone who is interested in studying abroad in France should consider AIFS Grenoble because it will be an experience that will change your life in so many ways. You meet people you will never forget and forge relationships that will last a lifetime.

The AIFS program I did in Grenoble was the best experience I have ever had, no question. In terms of academics, you take a placement test so what you're learning is achievable, but still challenging and helps to improve your french. My family was incredible - so fun and helpful, and were a great when I missed my own family from the US. My program director was so supportive and answered all of our questions. She truly went above and beyond, but at the same time, we have the freedom and independence to explore Grenoble, and learn a lot of things on our own. I couldn't have asked for a better study abroad experience.

I really enjoyed myself with this study abroad program. Every detail is taken care of for you. They literally walk you through every step of what you need to get done before leaving. Miranda, our Resident Director, was wonderful. She went out of her way to plan excursions & treats for us so that she could share the culture with us. She provided support for us each step of the way. She helped us with culture shock when we first arrived, the homesick feeling you get in the middle of the stay, & again, she prepared us for the culture shock we would experience when we returned home. The food is delicious. My host mom catered to my vegetarian diet. Everything is prepared from scratch & "eating out" is not an option with your family! You will love your stay & your language skills will grow immensely.

Not only is the city of Grenoble in a great location if you want to travel to other parts of France, or even other parts of Europe, but the were friendly and helpful. There is so much to do in the city. The social scene includes hip bars, great museums, historic sites, delightful cafés, and let's not forget, it's located in the French Alps, so the winter sports scene is unreal.

AIFS made everything extremely easy for me to adjust. The staff was not only helpful, but would go out of their way because they genuinely cared. There was always someone I could go to if I had questions.

The actual French Language Program I took was through the Université Stendahl. The professors were focused and took interest in my education and also, my personal life. They wanted to make sure we were enjoying our time in the city.

The living situation was by far the best. As I was placed based on my personality and likes, AIFS placed me with a woman whom I still keep in contact with after 2 years and I am planning a trip back to Grenoble to visit her and the city.

Overall, AIFS makes things simple but exciting, you can be independent, but there is always help if you need it. I would recommend AIFS French Language Program in Grenoble to anyone and everyone because it was the time of my life. Living in a foreign country wasn't intimidating at all in Grenoble because everyone involved made it extraordinary!

I experienced the Intensive French program in Grenoble in the Spring 2009. This program changed my perspective on the world as well as enhancing my abilities in the French language. I know for a fact that I would not be as successful now in my field of study if I had not had the experience I had with this program.
I went into my program thinking I would understand everything immediately and become fluent by the time I left. I found out quickly how idealistic and unrealistic my expectations were. I did not understand everything, and it took a lot of work to get to the point where I could understand French fairly well. No, I didn't leave France fluent either. However, my time in Grenoble helped me so much in gaining confidence in my abilities as well as in my understanding of French culture.
The staff of AIFS were vary supportive in helping me throughout my time there. I loved how I could meet with my resident director, and she would help me think through the difficulties or misunderstandings I was having. She was knowledgeable and very supportive because she knew French culture and she knew how best to help American students struggling with culture shock or just trying to understand and speak French. She taught me how to laugh at my mistakes as well as how to view French culture in a different way.
The people of Grenoble were generally very friendly. You have to understand though that it is a different culture, thus, their way of engaging in conversation and making friends is different from that of Americans. However, most of them were delighted that I was trying to speak French and they would even correct me when I made mistakes. For example, I had a cashier at a restaurant correct my pronunciation and vocabulary from time to time. He told me to keep trying though.
The living experience was a great experience! I really loved my host family, and I still keep in touch with them. They fixed good French meals and Madame would tell me about the food and where the recipes originated. They were very sweet to me and a very large part of my experience.
Academically, the program boosted my understanding and abilities in French. A professor at my home university in Texas commented after I returned that he could see a huge difference in my progress from before I went and after I returned. Yes, the classes I took in Grenoble often did seem long and difficult, but it was worth it in the end.
I would highly recommend my program to anyone who is wanting to take some major steps in their abilities in French and in gaining understanding of another culture. This program will also give a student the opportunity to experience French culture in a daily life setting. This setting is the best way to better learn a language and a culture.