Yes we Cannes! Past Review

By (biology and french, Austin College) for

AIFS: Cannes - Campus International de Cannes

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Definitely, but I wished I could have had a more personal interaction between more natives.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The classes I took where very interesting and the teachers were all great! We had several discussions about everyday topics: politics, global issues, personal beliefs. Going out and exploring the country in a small group was the only way to truly experience being abroad. Using what I knew and adapting to their differences. Coming back to the United States was the ultimate awakening of how much I had learned about France, the US and about myself.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Very Clean! staff was really nice and having a french roomate was my major link to meeting various French people.

* Food:

If you have dietary restriction (I didn't eat beef) you need to inform them the first day. The later you wait the more difficult it is for them to adapt to it.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

AIFS provided several weekend trips and sometimes tickets to shows. Also all our concerns were addressed directly to the director of the College in Cannes.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

I felt very safe in Cannes but in the neighbor town (Antibes), I had some friends that were robbed quite a few times.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

Finances

* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? If you have meal plan at the College, spending money on food during the week could be almost nothing. The extra pleasures like crepes, pastries, wine, going out to bars can cost quite a bit of money. If I would go out during the weekends to town for some drinks, I could easily spend 20 euros. Budget your money BEFORE you go out so that you don't overspend.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? There is a 50 euro deposit and then you have to pay 55 euros for the visa stamp.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Intermediate
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? French 237
Language acquisition improvement?

Within the College, most people spoke English because that was the common medium between the Americans, Swiss, Italians, etc. I spoke the most french in class and to my classmates in my language course. Since we all were in the advanced level we all tried to maintain speaking french to each other because we were all foreigners (i.e. no Americans).

If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition?

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

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  • International Students
* Who did you take classes with?

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  • International Students