Summer in Aix-en-Provence

This past summer, I studied abroad in Aix-en-Provence, France for six weeks. I lived in a homestay with a divorced mother and her 20 year old daughter. Shortly after landing in France, I was welcomed by Alexia and her mom, Karen. They were so warm and welcoming and made me feel at home which is exactly what I needed since I was 4,000 miles away from home and everything I have ever known for the very first time. My first night in Aix was very overwhelming and kind of rough because my host family spoke almost no English and I speak very little French. I felt a million times better just the next morning, when I saw Karen again and met Nancy and fellow students. Throughout the six weeks, I knew there was always someone to talk to in the CEA office, which was conveniently located just around the corner from school. I totally recommend CEA to someone who is interested in studying abroad. In addition to their absolutely exceptional staff, both throughout the application process and onsite in Aix, they also offered several excursions that other study abroad programs did not have. We had an all day excursion at the beautiful village, Les Baux-de-Provence, as well as smaller activities within Aix, like wine tasting and soap making. We even had an amazing farewell dinner a few days before our program ended. Some advice I have for a student who is about to embark on their study abroad experience is to get involved with everything and take total advantage of everything that CEA and their school has to offer. I would also suggest to not be hard on yourself if you are experiencing culture shock. It may take a little bit for you to get adjusted and just because someone is adjusting faster than you, doesn't mean that there is anything wrong with you! Studying abroad with CEA was an amazing and life changing experience that I would recommend to everyone. I cannot imagine having gone abroad any other way!