Grenoble is Home

I loved the city of Grenoble, France and the CEA program so much that I decided to stay an extra semester by sudying abroad for a whole academic year! I fell in love with the French Alps and in Grenoble you can see the mountains off of every street corner. It's the perfect size city with a huge student population and lots to do. It's easy to get around with the tram and it's also all walkable. Grenoble is set in a valley so the winters aren't that bad and it rarely snowed. The CEA program made the whole process so easy and I never had any worries or issues. They take care of everything from housing to excursions. Patrick, the program director is the best and is so dedicated to all the students. He was the first to show us around the city and knows so much about French culture. I loved our weekly FACE meetings that were relaxed and engaging. My first semester I stayed with a host family and the second I lived in a residence hall with other international students. They both were amazing experiences and in great locations in the center of town. I was close to the river that runs through Grenoble that I'd love to run along and I always felt safe because there are a lot of locals who run, ride, or walk the path. Grenoble is a very safe city in general and I never once felt unsafe. I attended Grenoble Ecole de Management which is a small international business school and I met so many wonderful people there and learned so much. I could go on and on about my time in Grenoble and all the travel I did around Europe (13 countries!), but it overall changed my life and was the best year ever. Grenoble feels like home and I will surely be back soon.