France: Pau - French Language and European Studies

This was my second study abroad in France, the first was through my home university. USAC’s program was amazing!! They placed me with an incredible host family and planned SO many activities for us that were included in the cost, like hiking in the Pyrénées, river rafting, going to the zoo, and going to Bayonne/Biarritz. My classes were challenging and I learned so much, combined with living with my host family. I also really enjoyed the field trips-I took the art history class, and we went to some cathedrals and museums to incorporate what we were learning in class, which was a great way to see the city as well!I highly recommend this program!! I would say though that Pau is a very small city with not a lot of nightlife/shops open later in the evening so just keep that in mind.

I studied abroad in Pau, France with the USAC program. The start to the semester was nerve wracking as there were many technical difficulties with sorting out the wifi, heating, and phone plans as well as class schedules. However, after the first three weeks things inevitably sorted themselves out. I loved making friends with classmates from around the world as well as with the fellow Americans in the program who came from all around the States. The language program was challenging but not overly so. The immersion in class made a world of difference to everyone's writing and speaking skills and the professors were truly lovely people. There were several opportunities to meet with French students from the University but there was nowhere near as much immersion in that regard as I had expected. In addition, I wished it were easier to get assigned a French tutor. Other than that, however, I would say the program was fairly well run. There was plenty of time out of class to explore the small city, go shopping and eat out with friends. Traveling to the coast nearby or to other places in Europe via Ouibus was convenient, affordable and a lot of fun. Overall, I was able to achieve my goals to travel, get better at French, meet people from around the world, and gain more confidence in myself through the many unexpected challenges.

Pau is a great city to study abroad in--not too big that you feel overwhelmed, but big enough that there is always something new to do! USAC on-site staff were always available to answer any questions. Their office was always open, and students were constantly stopping by to chat. Pau has such a unique variety of restaurants and bars that you'll never get bored! And it has a train station close to the city center making traveling around Europe really convenient! USAC sponsored several trips for us to see the surrounding cities and countries. We traveled to the Pays-Basque Regio, Spain, and Bordeaux! There is also an option to take a trip to Paris before the program starts, which I highly recommend doing! Pau also have a unique history as it has its own castle that you can tour.

Pau is the perfect city for cultural immersion. It is small enough to get to know locals while being big enough to have lots to explore. Also, it is situated next to the Basque region which has a very unique culture! The program includes fun excursions. However, if you are looking to travel to major European cities it is expensive to travel in and out of Pau because the airport is so small. But if you’re looking to stay in the south west, Bordeaux and Toulouse are easy to get to! As well as coastal cities like Biarritz and San-Sebastián. The courses through USAC were extremely easy, so don’t plan on having too much homework or needing to study often. Lastly, the weather was amazing in the fall up until early November which made it easy to explore the outdoor activities Pau has to offer.

I had the wonderful experience of studying in Pau, France. This city may be small but it is full of many things to do and see! From the Boulevard de Pyrenees, white water rafting, the Tour de France tribute, city center which holds many concerts, festivals, markets, and more, along with being perfectly situated right next to Spain and many popular tourist areas in the south of France! I can proudly say my French has improved greatly since I first arrived on campus, but I do have to admit that the campus is very old and is very behind technology wise. Although the city of Pau is quite beautiful with its palm trees and stone walkways, the campus is full of weeds and the buildings are old and don't even have air conditioning or fans (which I learned is the case in most buildings and homes in France!). Also, I was put under the impression that no one in Pau speaks English, which is far from the truth. Almost every single person I talked to knew at least a few words in English and could get by with it if you were confused. On another note, I am an avid hiker and was also told that Pau is very close to the Pyrenees. Although Pau may be an hour's drive from the nearest point of the Mountains, this is only by car. Only being able to use public transportation, it is pretty much impossible to get to the mountains by yourself. I am happy to say that the university offers a hiking course that I was able to sign up for that drove students to the mountains for about a 15 euro fee. At the end of the day, Pau is a great place to spend your time studying abroad and being put into a French atmosphere with friendly people!

Pau is a wonderful little city—it’s not a rural village or a big city, but a great middle ground of the two. It’s a great place to study as the academics are intense but fun, and it’s also a central area from which you can travel to multiple areas: for example, Bordeaux, Toulouse, Biarritz, St Jean de Luz, Lourdes, the Pyrenees and multiple cities in Spain are all within three hours of Pau. The Pyrenees offer incredible views and beautiful areas which are all accessible in Pau. For travel, however, you have to really figure out the public transportation system. It is fairly cheap, but because it is run by the government, it can be subject to strikes or delays with no notice; however, overall it was still an effective way to get around. Pau itself is a quiet city, so I wouldn’t recommend it if you want to go clubbing every night. But if you want to learn the French language, make great friends, explore the world or just live abroad for a semester, I would definitely recommend Pau.

I went on a study abroad to Pau, France and it changed my life. I met and studied with people of all ages and all nationalities and got to learn about each of their cultures. I lived with a hist family with whom I developed a great respect and love for the French lifestyle - we did everything together from travelling to cooking to going on casual picnics and strolls in the park - my favorite memory. I got to travel and see the world and experience all types of cultures and people. After the program, I desperately want to go back and make a career for myself in France one day. I’d advise future abroad students to never be afraid to speak! Use your language skills at the market, the restaurant, etc!

I had no idea what to expect going into this trip, which is the reason I’m writing this review. First of all, Pau is an adorable town that has a cute town center and public transportation running through every corner of the city, so I wouldn’t worry about that. The program heads will literally walk everyone to the station where you buy bus passes if you need them. My husband and I lived ~15 minutes away from campus and we walked everyday and were fine! We went for the Fall semester, and the weather was absolutely perfect the entire time. It rains a little, but we loved that. Also, if you go during the summer, be aware that almost no places have air conditioning! Only the movie theater will provide you with come cool air, and movie tickets are really cheap. This program is excellent at taking you on excursions and showing you important French places and history. Go on EVERY excursion and free tour that you can! Even if it’s in French and you’re not that confident! Be ready to make friends because you will attend each excursion with the same people. However, while these people are from all over the United States (and probably have differing cultures), it’s a little easy to only hang out with other Americans and not branch out (as far as social life goes). And that’s not really the point of studying abroad, so socialize with French people and other foreigners! They’re all very nice. That brings me to my favorite aspect of this program, which is the fact that everyone takes a Language Placement test at the beginning of the semester and is matched up with all other foreigners in that school at the same level (except for European students from Erasmus). In my class, there were people from Russia, Japan, Austrailia, Iraq, Brazil, Ghana, and more! We saw each other everyday and we created intense bonds. This was my favorite part of the whole experience, I will never forget those relationships. That said, I do wish I would’ve socialized with more French kids my age, but they already seem to have their own friends at school so they’re harder to approach—Be brave! The teachers are incredibly nice and the classes are VERY manageable. It’s very easy to get straight A’s, (if you do the homework), so don’t worry about that. Don’t worry if you can’t understand your teacher on the first day, you’ll be able to understand every word s/he says by the end of the semester. Almost all host family experiences I heard of were positive, but every single story about living in the dorms was also positive. Other foreigners live in the dorms and that can create even more friend opportunities. Plan a few trips before hand, but you don’t have to book every single thing because plans will change and maybe you’ll want to follow a friend group going to a specific place on the weekend. Try to travel every weekend!! See as much as you can. Consult RyanAir and Flixbus for everything!! Also the trains are very nice and stop through Pau. Learning French will happen if you just try to communicate. Yes, it will be hard and awkward, but once you do it you will gain confidence. Last tip: Get excited to study abroad!! This will give you memories to last a lifetime.