France: Lyon - French Language, Art History, and Francophone Studies

Budget your money! It is so easy to get swept away in it all and not think about finances.

It's okay to spend money on once-in-a-lifetime experiences, but I think that one also has to weigh it against the pocketbook. It becomes especially difficult when it isn't the currency you're used to. I really wish someone had told me that.

I had an average of six hours of class per day. The classes during the day would focus on my French skills: oral comprehension, speaking, writing, reading and culture. This program also offers evening classes, so I had one class that would go pretty late into the evening. It was a class about the European Union.

My group of friends had rotating dinner assignments. So, we each chose a day where we would cook for the others.

On the weekends, we would travel or explore the city. When it warmed up, we would go to the park or even this little hidden beach off the Rhone. On weekend evenings, we would go to Vieux Lyon. We were regulars at a pub named James Joyce.

My biggest fear was that I would end up with no friends. I would just go about my time abroad alone. It's the biggest fear of an extrovert who thrives on social interaction. However, I immediately became friends with my roommate and many others who were also on the program.

The international students in my class seemed intimidating, but by the end of the semester, we were all joking around and bonding.

My friends and I went to Nice for the Carnivale celebrations. There was a humongous parade and music. The whole city had a buzz of activity. Also, the city was very colorful, and we got to see the Mediterranean. We stayed at a hostel near the festivities.

It was only a weekend trip, but I would have loved to stay longer.