CEA Paris has exposed me to an vast array of challenges through the duration of my semester abroad, but the accompanying insights into culture, sociology, history (especially of art), novel academic environments, and international consciousness/"citizenship" have been utterly incredible and dually vital to personal growth that I have no doubt would be impossible to replicate elsewhere.

Paris itself is a location that I genuinely believe outranks [virtually] all others as a destination for study abroad; as I see it, the simple fact is that few if any other global cities can rival the vastness of its rich history, culture, and modern-day draw. For the ways in which their program has permitted me to access and observe that, CEA has my gratitude without reservations.

The CEA Paris staff were an immensely helpful and kind team. All my personal experiences with them were highly positive, whether the reason for our interactions was connected to academics, student life, or my own personal life/experiences in the city.

Culturally, I gained ongoing insights and immersion opportunities through my courses at CEA. I think this was the greatest strength of academics in CEA's Paris Program—the integration of field studies, general out-of-classroom adventures, and French culture learning to encourage a deeper level of immersion in the local culture throughout the semester. Beyond academics too, a series of weekend trips, evening excursions, and in-house workshops supplied almost non-stop opportunities to explore the nuances and histories of Paris/France. This spread of activities was incredibly well-prepared and planned by the CEA staff and aided adaptation immensely. A bit sadly, I did not feel as though I had connection to community in Paris, nor did I find myself building relationships with Parisians through the course of the semester, though this is reflective of French social culture and *not* of CEA's immersion programming.

Through the excursions built into CEA courses and included as weekend activities of the program, there were many times during which I was able to connect more deeply with my peers as we shared very special exploration and discovery experiences in Paris and beyond. Paris/France are beautiful and *fascinating* places, and the people with whom you experience so many "firsts" here are ones with whom you naturally begin to grow closer. Despite the challenge of connecting with the local French people, the sense of community that I see within the student body here at CEA Paris is quite strong, and for that I am very grateful.

My abroad travels were certainly worthwhile. I feel as though after living abroad I have a new found confidence as well as a changed global outlook on the world. I found internship opportunities through CEA which complemented my experience as well as my resume. One of my favorite aspects of CEA was their cultural engagement program, where the staff lead excursions to connect students with the Parisien community.

CEA staff made every effort to assist students in connecting with local culture. They did this through arranging housing among other french persons, arranging guest speakers, and arranging a variety of day trips and walking excursions within the city throughout the semester.

I felt as though the intensity and rigor of the courses I took did not align with that of the program descriptions I had initially looked at when applying for this program. I actually found the courses to me more intense than anticipated accompanied with more homework, research papers, and presentations than I though. However, the resources provided were beneficial to my courses and the cultural engagement requirement for each class (where students are required to participate in an excursion that pertains to the course material) I found to heighten my comprehension of course content as well as my interest in the Parisian culture. Additionally CEA Paris has an impressive range of professors with real world experience within their disciplines.

The administration here at CEA made every effort to acclimate their students. They did this through formal orientation programs and out of the classroom activities.

Living abroad can be a tricky situation however my living arrangements were very comfortable. In the event of a leaky pipe or power outage, the staff at CEA always responded immediately and helped my roommates and I to fix the situation.

Meal plan was not an option for this program. Paris however has an amazing range of things to eat so I never went hungry. Additionally, upon arrival, CEA staff coached us on where to shop for food, how to read labels, and inexpensive dining options that aligned with our student budgets.

I never personally had to see a doctor or go to urgent care while abroad. However my roommates did, and CEA staff were accommodating, discreet, and took the time to follow up multiple times with the students.

I never felt unsafe once while studying in Paris. My housing was in a quite neighborhood, people on the metro were civil, and because I was aware of my surroundings and tried my best to not stick out I was perfectly fine.

Though Paris is an expensive city to live in (like any major city) I found it manageable finance wise to eat, shop, and travel.

Every professor and staff member encouraged me to use and practice my french while abroad. I definitely think my language skills have improved since going abroad.

If i had to do it over again I 100% would. I learned so many practical life lessons that I would have never learned in a traditional classroom. The only thing I would do differently would be to sign up for an entire year abroad!

The only thing I wish I knew before this program would be the level of difficulty of some classes. For me, I knew only a small amount of french before going abroad and the level of french that I took abroad was probably too hard for me (but I managed :) ).

I decided to study abroad for one academic year in Paris through CEA during the '16-'17 year, and absolutely loved it. It was by far my favorite year out of all four years of my college experience and I cannot wait to return to Europe in the near future. All of my advisors through CEA were amazing, and helped me with everything I had ever needed when I was abroad. The education I received was great, though there was some confusion with what classes were available and which were not prior to my enrollment for the second semester. I was placed with wonderful host parents, though they were not always at home and were a bit more conventional, but I learned a lot from them in the end. I hope to continue keeping in touch with CEA one way or another and would highly recommend studying abroad with them!

I had an amazing time studying with CEA in Paris. The onsite staff was so supportive, the classes were interesting, and I made AMAZING friends. We went on really fun excursions, and I loved being able to travel. I was nervous about how I would fit in with other students, but I made friends quickly. I was also nervous about how classes would go, but everything turned out great. Again, the classes were really interesting, and I loved my professors. They were all so kind and helpful. I would definitely go abroad with CEA again.

As someone who has never gone abroad before, CEA made the whole process much easier and less daunting. Luckily, I was able to get a travel voucher that covered my roundtrip flight, making the overall cost more manageable (plus I was able to arrive two months early to do some traveling!). The US staff was wonderful leading up to departure and I absolutely adored everyone at the Paris location--if you are feeling unsure or have literally any question ever (what's the best bakery, how do I use the metro, etc.) they will help you!

I lived with a host family in a large apartment in the 11th arrondissement, which was super cool, but be warned that it may be more difficult to hang with friends when you are with a host family!

My advice is to NOT take a whole bunch of classes. Typically, I take 6 classes a semester at home and manage, but I was only taking 4 while abroad and was overwhelmed, especially during midterms/finals. Don't let school get in the way of learning, as Paris has much to teach.

Overall, the excursions were AWESOME, there is always something to do in Paris, and I met a ton of people that I know will be a big part of my life for years to come. Thank you for everything CEA.

CEA made the logistics of studying abroad easy and accessible. Their thorough attention to detail (like helping us through the student visa process, ensuring that our first few days in a new country weren't terrifying, and being there to solve any problem throughout the semester) let me feel safe and free to enjoy my time abroad.

Along with courses tailored to French culture and the city of Paris, CEA also included numerous excursions to city events and trips around the country. These experiences let me understand and enjoy France in a way I'm incredibly grateful for.

The staff at the CEA Paris Center were absolutely lovely! They truly made Paris feel like a home to me, and their interest in our lives/experience made it feel like more than just a school campus.

I so recommend studying abroad with CEA, because you won't be able to craft such an immersive and breathtaking experience anyway else.

I knew I wanted to study abroad in Paris and CEA was the right fit for me! I was immediately drawn to the fun courses they offered - my photography and oenology courses were actually as fun as how cool they sounded in the beginning. CEA takes care of all the stuff you don't want to like housing and maintenance, and they also give us tips and advice along the way. I would recommend becoming a MOJO blogger/photographer for a great way to document your time abroad while building your resume. The excursions included in the program, especially Honfleur, was super fun to hang out with the other CEA kids in Paris!

My experience studying abroad shaped the way I want to live my life. The professors were personable and adaptable, the housing was clean and accessible, and the country was inclusive. Because of this experience, I decided to continue my education and am now in a master’s program for Intercultural Communication. I can’t wait to live in France and I know I have support when I return from the friends I have made there and staff I have met.