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Eager to step into the footsteps of a college student who’s studying abroad in France? We recently caught up with AIFS Abroad program participant Farida from the University of Cincinnati, who has been spending an academic year on the French Riviera in Cannes.
Read on to learn more about her study abroad experience with AIFS Abroad and the impact of being an international Student in Cannes.
Choosing a Study Abroad Program Destination & Term
Deciding when and where to study or intern abroad can be a challenge for a lot of students and young professionals (our team can help with that!), but no matter where you go, you’re in for the adventure of a lifetime!
Farida chose Cannes because it’s a great destination for her to improve her French proficiency and learn about French culture. In fact, she’s so dedicated to studying abroad in France that she is doing a fall and spring semester back-to-back.
There are many scholarship and grant opportunities available to students who want to study abroad but are in need of financial assistance, like Farida who was awarded the Sir Cyril Taylor Legacy Scholarship.
Language Learning
While it’s not a requirement to take foreign language classes to study abroad, some people, like Farida, want to use the study abroad experience as an opportunity to learn a new language or improve their existing foreign language skills.
For our French Language and Culture program in Cannes, there are three intensive French courses available for elementary, intermediate, and upper intermediate levels, in addition to other courses in art, economics, political studies, film studies, sociology, and theater studies.
Since beginning her study abroad program in Cannes, Farida has found her French communication skills improve significantly. She likes how her class is focused on speaking—allowing her and her classmates to discuss their daily lives, their goals, and cultures from around the world while improving their oral French.
“Each morning I attend a 3-hour French class with two other AIFS students of a similar level. We often have students come and go for a week or two from all over the world. The class is largely oral based and we’ve gotten comfortable with having conversations in French about how we spend our days, our future goals and aspirations and the differences between French and other cultures. This was a big change from the grammar heavy classes I was used to. When we are working on grammar, we often read through and do exercises as a class so as to pick out weak points as they arise.”
Farida’s study abroad experience has also taught her some local French phrases that you may not encounter in your traditional American classroom:
“I’ve heard this expression [‘zut alors’] used a lot both in the classroom and by French people outside the classroom. I would say the closest English translation for ‘zut’ would be ‘shoot.’ A non-vulgar exclamation to express disappointment. In class if we get something wrong or if there’s a mess up in the photocopies we’ll often hear our teacher say ‘zut, alors’ and the expression is infectious. We find ourselves using it without thinking. Les vrais français!”
Farida explains one of her favorite parts of French class is the open-ended discussions she engages in with her teacher and classmates:
“When we have class discussions our teacher will ask ‘que pensez-vous?’ meaning ‘what do you think?’ While partly asked to get us to practice speaking in French, this question invites everyone to share their opinions and start an interesting conversation. We talk about all kinds of things from the meaning of friendship to what we like to eat for breakfast and it’s always interesting, especially when we have visiting students from other parts of the world.”
Most multilingual people agree that the best way to learn a language is to be open to making mistakes. Here, Farida explains the open-minded and accepting attitude of her classroom when it comes to learning French:
“In our classroom mistakes are common, but our teacher reminds us ‘c’est pas grave’ or ‘it’s not serious’… The only way to learn a language is through making mistakes, a lot of mistakes. When we get frustrated with ourselves for repeating the same mistakes over and over we have our teacher to reassure us ‘c’est pas grave’.”
Travel Reservations
It’s normal to have some reservations and concerns about studying abroad—wondering if you’ll make friends, have fun, be safe, or in Farida’s case, be able to keep up in class. However, it’s important to keep in mind that any challenges you face will help you grow as a person. Plus, the AIFS Abroad team will always be available to help you, 24/7! Hear Farida explain her own reservations about studying abroad in France:
“I was initially nervous about studying in France because of all I had heard about strict French teachers and academic rigor but after being here for two months, I can say that this has been far from my experience. The class is relaxed and always supportive and I’m more confident in my French conversation skills than ever before.”
Making Friends Abroad
College is often the first time many students are out on their own. This newfound independence can make some students hesitant about joining a study abroad program alone or cause them to hold off applying until a friend is available to go with them.
We recommend that you study abroad when it’s convenient for you. Chances are you’ll forge new friendships once abroad, like Farida did in Cannes. Remember that your peers studying abroad will be in the same position as you—so they’ll be just as eager to make friends!
Excursions & Day Trips
One of the benefits of studying abroad is the ability to explore a foreign country—doing so will help you expand your cultural and historical horizons—remember, you’re not there solely to take classes.
One of the best ways to get out there and explore is to take part in excursions and day trips. Many AIFS study abroad programs offer day trips and excursions that are included in the program fee. Our study abroad program in Cannes will take you to nearby locations and deepen your social, historical, and cultural understanding of France. Previous excursions have included a day trip to Antibes to explore the Picasso Museum and a visit to the medieval town of Grasse, the perfume capital of the world.
Culture Shock
When you first arrive at your study abroad program destination and start to transition into your life overseas, odds are you may experience a bit of culture shock. Culture shock is different for every student—people experience it in various degrees and due to a number of different factors. While Farida was initially nervous about studying in France, she’s settled in well. One of her favorite things to do in class is compare the differences between cultures around the world:
“Because of the range of backgrounds in our class, we often compare cultural norms between French and our own cultures. When explaining a French expression or cultural norm, our teacher will ask ‘et chez toi?’ which directly translates to ‘and your place?’ or more loosely ‘and your country?’ This creates an interesting discussion and sometimes friendly debate about the ways of living in different countries across Europe and the world.”
In Farida’s case, culture shock was more of a positive learning experience than a negative one!
Final Thoughts
As Farida continues to embrace her journey and gear up for another semester in Cannes this spring, she leaves us with some final thoughts:
“Getting to learn French on the French Riviera has been an enriching experience that I wouldn’t trade for anything. After being in Cannes for almost two months now I’ve felt a huge improvement in my French communication skills and in my confidence. I owe this improvement to my wonderful teacher and to a new style of learning which I had yet to experience in previous language classes.”
Are you a student who’s ready to take the leap and study abroad like Farida did in Cannes? We’d love to help you start your journey!
Here at AIFS Abroad, we know a thing or two about helping college students and pre-professionals study and intern abroad. Our programs are incredibly inclusive, which takes a lot of the stress out of planning. From coordinating your housing to providing things like cultural and social activities, excursions, comprehensive insurance, 24/7 emergency support, on-site staff, and more, you’ll take comfort in knowing you’ll have support throughout your entire experience abroad.