My CIEE Experience

This was my first time abroad and this program exceeded my expectations. The CIEE Paris staff is amazing and friendly. They love to get to know the students, and they are always around for questions. The professors really know their subjects and are always there to help students understand and learn more. Classes are longer than in the United States but not too long considering the classes are only six weeks long. The classes are taught English except for the French language classes. The language professors are patient and understanding but also strict enough that English isn't spoken during class. Most classes have some field trips which definitely help enhance the learning experience. My french history class went to the Pantheon which was really neat. I saw where Voltaire and Pierre and Marie Curie are buried. The study tours for were a big part of my experience because I used to be afraid to travel alone and with the study tour the whole program goes generally. The study tours were an opportunity to learn, and meet people in my program, and create some fun memories, from visiting a soccer stadium in Marseilles, to a chocolate museum in Belgium, to Omaha beach in Normandy. I made some friends that will last a lifetime, learned somethings I will never forget, and became more independent and even stopped being afraid to travel alone. It was overall an awesome experience and I definitely plan on coming back.