AIFS Abroad: Study Abroad in France

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!

The teachers all know exactly what they're doing when it comes to teaching French. They tailor to your needs and I ended up learning and retaining more French than I had in the previous four years. It's also great that other international students come to study French as well, so you get a better understanding of other cultures as well. The other courses offered are structured differently than American schools and I didn't really get out of it what I hoped to. The city is beautiful and it's wonderful walking everywhere. It's nice just to walk around and stop by cafe or gelato shop. The beach is literally right across the street which makes a fantastic reading spot when the sun is out. The atmosphere was just so relaxing that I felt I could focus more on my studies.

This program was all that I could have hoped for! It started out with three amazing days in London, England. We were given a tour of central London by a wonderful tour guide name Nicki, she showed out group all of the best places to go, the best places to eat, and many historical sites as well. After London, we were off to Cannes, France. It was just stunning, clear water, friendly staff, and excursions to Nice and Monaco. We were housed in dorms for our 2 week language orientation, which helped all of us get closer to each other as well as practice our French skills. This part of our trip was the most essential part! It was hard work getting used to the French educational system, which is a lot like the Socratic method used in Law schools, but you learn so much!

After a 5 hour TGV ride, we were finally in Paris. Breathtaking is the only word that one can use. We explored in our group, and most of us became flaneurs, and found a bunch of great spots to hang out, do homework, or just have a picque-nique.When it came to the Sorbonne's placement tests, I think all of us were scared, but it went off fabulously! The teachers were extremely nice, while their homework was sometimes difficult. They really want their students to learn, so they push them academically. Trust me, it is well worth it! I learned so much and now I am not scared to speak French. By the end of my time abroad, French just rolled off of my tongue. The best part of the experience were the ladies at the AIFS: Paris office! They are just great, they are always there for you and want you to do your best and have the best time possible. When it was time to leave, I cried my eyes out when I had to say good-bye to them. Everyone should go on this trip, it will change you forever. I am now independent and my french language skills have greatly improved. Apply, Apply, Apply!!! You will not regret it!

First of all, this program provided The Best Class I've ever taken in my entire academic life,(and i've gone to school in four countries now)Philosophy spring sem. '08... I'll risk sounding overly drammatic, and say it changed my life, in more ways than one. The teacher was brilliantly unconventional, and quite simply awesome. I credit that single class for developing the kind of critical thinking that all colleges claim to foster in our(students) minds, but they don't, not really... it was truly liberating experience, and I'll never forget it, thank you...
Now, everything else: AIFS staff was fantastic, completely supportive and helpful as much as they could with absolutely everything. Computers/internet, books, class/test schedules, etc. welcome to hang out as much as you want, and generally a positive place to be.
The program was very good, it wasn't straight french shcool, more of a cultural education program for foreign students, language, culture, history, architecture(i wasn't there, but they took tours all around paris), but they left more than enough Free time to explore on one's own.
One pleasant surprise were the weekend excursions out of town, which weren't mentioned ahead of time, completely free, busses, hotels when overnight, visited castles, old walled cities, vinyards(caves), parfume factory, Van Gogh's room, etc, etc. Don't miss those...
And Overall everyone was great, I haven't met oe rude person the whole time i was there, the whole french stereotypes we hear in u.s.- that's all they are stereotypes. I've heard some ppl had issues here and there, but my theory is that your attitude is reflected back at you from others, be nice to others and they'll(mostly) do the same.

final and i think the most important advice I could give is to be open to everything new and/or different. Say Ciao to your comfort zone, and live a litte, enjoy your time here, there, everywhere...
Cheers

The college is a wonderful environment, from the students, to the professors to the cafeteria and security personnel.
The French language classes were challenging, but the professors were tremendously helpful, and they re-evaluate your level often so you can move up or down depending on your needs. They truly care about your success as a student and are willing to help in any way they can.
The non-language classes were fairly easy, but you still have to do your share of the work. It's not a semester off, but with an average effort you can easily get an A.
The AIFS staff on campus are second to none. They are responsive and willing to bend over backwards to help. I went to them for advice on the town, the culture, travel destinations, and also for day to day needs (where can I get a hair straightener that will work? They actually had one in the office we could borrow!).
I've talked with other students who went on different study abroad programs, and none of the others came close to the level of involvement and commitment to the students that the AIFS Cannes program has.
GO!

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.

I did experience some difficulties living abroad, but they mostly related to picking up and moving half-way across the world. It was both terrifying and exciting but turned out to be one of the best decisions I've ever made.

My goal in studying abroad was to really improve my ability with the language. Living and learning in such a beautiful place with a number of people who could only speak French was ideal. Additionally, I ended up taking all of my classes (including non-language classes) in French even though the idea made me nervous at first.

Sandrine, the program coordinator, said that she'd be more than happy to help me with difficulties, advice I took advantage of on several occasions. By the time I came back to the US, I was comfortable speaking casually even though I knew my speaking wasn't perfect.

I'm returning to France this summer and am completely excited! I hope I haven't forgotten too much!