CEA CAPA Education Abroad in Paris, France

Hey! My name is Lillian Smith and I did the CEA CAPA Paris Fashion Studies Program spring of 2024 my sophomore year of college. Overall, it was an amazing experience and I would definitely do it again if given the time and the funding. The negatives were definitely the adapting phase. The first couple weeks were rough with getting used to the culture and living in a very large city, especially because I didn't know the language prior. Meeting new people is a joy, but trying to establish a friend group in a foreign country by yourself can be a major stressor, so all of these things considered, it was a rough first couple of weeks, but once I was adjusted I had the time of my life. I will say that when selecting housing, the shared studio apartment is not the best quality, and I would go for an apartment if you are able to, but it was fine in the end and I did enjoy it. The view wasn't nice and we were on the outskirts of the city, however, this meant that we had smaller, less crowded restaurants and stores with cheaper prices because it wasn't touristy, and that was a huge help in the long run. We even became regulars at a couple places and befriended some of the staff. The biggest positives are definitely the staff. They plan so many things for the students and are so insanely helpful; I really loved my professors and the content of my classes. I learned so much. Really enjoyed this program!

Studying in Paris was one of the most incredible experiences of my life.

Going into the program, I didn't know a single other student. I was worried about my classes and that I wouldn't make any friends. Luckily, pretty early on, I realized that everyone was in the same boat; we were all looking for friends. Even after I found my "group", everyone still hung out with each other and was open to making new friends.

Classes were pretty hard for me at first. The workload was more than I anticipated and I struggled to stay on task. However, the whole class felt this way and we voiced our concern with the professor. He was very understanding and we found a good compromise. My elective, "History of Paris: An Architectural Perspective" was awesome! Seeing all of the monuments we talked about in class in person was unbelievable.

Outside of class, I went and saw just about everything there is to see in Paris. There was always something new and exciting going on. In addition to exploring Paris, I would travel to a different country every weekend. I went to Switzerland, England, and Germany. I experienced every kind of nightlife, and tried all kinds of amazing food.

One of the most memorable parts about the trip for me was the relationship I made with a local sandwich shop. After finding "Pietro Rambuteau" two weeks into my trip, I went there almost every school day for lunch. By the end of the trip, the worker knew my order without me saying a word (Focaccia Parma w/ Basil). At the end of the trip I even got a picture with the him.

Studying in Paris through CEA CAPA was one of the best decisions I ever made.

Studying abroad with CEA CAPA in Paris last summer was truly a one of a kind experience. CEA CAPA did everything they could to make sure that studying abroad was nothing like being a tourist in the City of Lights. I was able to fully immerse into the French culture and community through all of the little things like commuting on the metro, having a traditional French breakfast with my host family in the mornings, and becoming a regular at my favorite fruit stand. It was through these moments that I learned so much more than just what I did in the classroom. In the classroom I learned how to speak French and about French culture, and then even just on my way to lunch after class I was able to see it in action. I got to see all of the tourist things like monuments and museums which were so amazing, but I also got to see a side of Paris that many people don't get to see. When I think of my time in Paris, what I miss the most is something as simple as walking the streets of Paris. That is what made this learning experience unforgettable.

One of the best experiences of my life. I learned a lot on this trip including academics and was able to learn how to be more independent while also having support from CEA when needed. Tons of activities to do in Paris and the program included a lot of activities in conjunction with classes so it wasn't all classes. The apartment I was in was small but I thought it was pretty good. The staff is superb. I loved them so much. They seemed like they actually liked their jobs. That's the first time I've seen something like that before.

My experience was especially unique because it was my first time abroad, I was going to a new place that was both very politically and socially busy, I had to navigate allergies abroad, scholarships, as well as cancelled flights. The CEA CAPA staff helped by answering any and all questions I had. They gave great resources to turn to if they couldn't directly help me. They taught us how to navigate a country that had elections and many protests going on. With the Olympics taking place in Paris, I was able to see much of the French pride that I came to love.

My experience interning and studying abroad with CEA CAPA in Paris was truly amazing. I had the opportunity to meet incredible people from diverse backgrounds, immerse myself in a new culture, and practice speaking another language on a daily basis. As an international student in the United States, I didn't experience major culture shock or anything too unfamiliar, which made the adjustment process smoother for me. The program itself was well-structured, and I enjoyed my classes. The professors were engaging and the classes were fun! Overall, it was a rewarding and enriching time!

CEA offered great stuff both in and out of the classrooms. There were super awesome and really experienced professors that I learned a lot from. They also hosted a ton of events and outings with the students that helped to take advantage of being in Paris and make a lot of friends in the program. They even planned a weekend trip where we got to go to Normandy. We stayed in a nice hotel and they provided our meals. We saw a lot of cool museums and the beautiful beaches of Normandy. I also loved the cultural exchange they held during the semester where were able to meet and interact with other local Parisian students!

My favorite things about studying abroad with CEA CAPA were the included activities and events that we had before and during the program, and the general atmosphere of support that was present during the program. I was not expecting there to be so much included with my program before I went. The weekend excursion was one of my favorite parts of the entire trip, and was of outstanding quality. The guides, transportation, and lodging were all great. In addition, the tours, food tastings, movie night, and cultural exchange were amazing. There was something to do every week and I attended everything I could because I knew it would always be lots of fun. Also, from the beginning of the program it was always clear if we ever had an issue who we needed to reach out to and I always felt very safe while I was abroad.