2 Months in Aix-en-Provence with CEA: The Experience of a Lifetime Past Review
By Keith C (International Management, McGill University) for
CEA CAPA Education Abroad: Aix-en-Provence, France
- Gained opportunity to immerse myself in French culture and practice the language on a daily basis - Learned about French traditions, values, food, culture etc. - Gained some of the best memories that I'll carry with me for life
Review Your Program
* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
- Workload was manageable and fair - Teaching method involved participation from the whole class and encouraged free-flowing discussions - Grading system is different to that in North America but reflects fairly on ability - Professors were knowledgeable, approachable and willing to help |
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
- Support services provided by CEA was INCREDIBLE - Staff was extremely friendly, involved and committed to making the experience the best that it could be - No shortage of excursions and other activities being organized so you can be assured that you'll never be left without something to do! - If you have any questions, concerns or ideas for activities/outing, the program coordinators are very approachable and will do everything they can to help you out - This was by far the best aspect of the program - all my expectations were met. |
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
- Host family was also amazing and treated me as part of the family - Did their best to accommodate food requests - Comfortable living quarters and good internet - Host family was very willing to help me with my French and answer any general questions I had about France and its culture, people etc. |
* Food: |
Aix has a huge selection of places to eat and drink. Definitely worth exploring! |
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Large variety of activities were organized and they were all extremely well run. Examples of activities: - Wine-tastings - Salsa classes - Cultural & historical visits - Beach excursions - Olive oil tastings - Concert in a Colosseum! |
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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* Safety: |
- Aix was pretty safe overall - Just be careful when staying out drinking late at night: As with anywhere, there is the risk of fights or arguments breaking out |
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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) |
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Language
* Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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Language acquisition improvement? |
- Language was practiced mainly in class and with host families - There is a need to use French on a daily basis in cafes, restaurants, shops, bars etc. - Very important to minimize speaking English with fellow coursemates! |
Other Program Information
* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
* What did you like most about the program? |
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* What could be improved? |
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* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | EVERYONE that has the opportunity to do this program should do it! |