Looking to embark on a bon voyage as a college student studying abroad in France? We recently caught up with Audrey from Washington State University, who studied abroad in Paris during the fall semester.
Discover how Audrey’s fall semester in Paris helped her improve her French language skills and meet other students from around the world!
Choosing a Program Destination & Term
Once you decide to study abroad, you get to choose where in the world you want to go. Fortunately, AIFS Abroad offers a wide range of programs in exciting locations around the globe, so you can choose a destination that best aligns with your academic needs and interests. Audrey Hepburn famously said that “Paris is always a good idea,” and that certainly was the case for this Audrey who wanted to practice her French in a big city:
“I chose Paris because I wanted to experience living in a big city, and I wanted to improve my French literacy. The program in Paris also had classes that would transfer back well, so I would still be able to graduate on time.”
Audrey opted for a fall semester program, which allowed her to experience Paris as it changed from the warm summer to the winter holiday season:
“I think that going to Paris in the fall [semester] was great because I was able to experience [different seasons]. In the beginning, it was still summer, so I got to experience the sun; then it got cold, and I got to experience a true winter. The tourist levels changed a lot while I was there, so I got to see the city during peak busy time, and a mellow, lower-tourist time. In November and December, I was also able to experience the Christmas markets with friends, which was amazing.”
Another benefit of studying abroad in Paris during the fall semester (and during winter break) is the chance to see the Eiffel Tower adorned with snow, like Audrey did:
“My friend called me on the one day it snowed in Paris. She told me to get up and get to the Eiffel Tower as soon as possible. We ran to the metro and got to see the Eiffel Tower as it sparkled in the snow!”
Why AIFS Abroad?
When it comes to choosing a provider, college students and recent grads go with AIFS Abroad for a wide variety of reasons. For Audrey, it came down to recommendations from peers, scholarship opportunities (which we encourage you to apply for!), and our awesome inclusions like activities and excursions that we provide with every program:
“I knew a lot of people who studied abroad with AIFS and loved it. When I looked into it more closely, I loved that it had locations I wanted to go to, as well as scholarship opportunities and fun excursions associated with every program.”
Academics Abroad
No matter where you go with AIFS Abroad, you’re in for a rewarding academic experience. For a hospitality business management major like Audrey, the American Business College, Paris offered an ideal international learning experience. Even though classes are taught in English, the school still feels intimate, with students from over 80 countries learning together in small classes:
“It was interesting going from a large college campus to a small city building for a university, but it was cool to be able to meet a bunch of people from all around the world who were studying at the school.
There were AIFS students, other students from similar study abroad programs, Parisians, and international students in almost every class I was in. There were usually between 15 and 35 students in my classes, and all were taught in English with the exception of my French class.”
As Audrey mentioned, she took a French language course in addition to her business classes. Despite the challenge of total language immersion, Audrey enjoyed the course and noted how much it helped improve her French proficiency:
“I loved my French course because it was fully spoken in French. It required me to really pay attention, and it increased my understanding of the language so much faster.”
Housing
Housing is included in all AIFS Abroad programs. Some programs offer the option of a homestay, where you can live with a local family and engage more deeply with the culture. Hear Audrey describe her homestay experience and how it helped her grow as a person:
“I was in a homestay with a roommate. This meant that I was in an apartment with a host family but shared a room with another student in my program. The family made us one dinner a week and always had breakfast options available. The hardest challenge was learning how to live with people I barely knew and could only communicate with in French. It was difficult at times, but it pushed me to be the best version of myself.”
Activities & Excursions
As Audrey mentioned at the beginning, one of the deciding factors that helped her choose AIFS Abroad was the excursions and activities each of our programs provide. This often includes tours of your host city and day trips to explore regional sites. These activities and excursions aren’t just great opportunities to learn more about your host country’s history, geography, and culture—they offer the chance to bond with fellow participants outside of the classroom.
As Audrey explained, her favorite AIFS Abroad activity was their farewell dinner:
“My favorite was the farewell dinner because it gave us all the opportunity to hang out one final time, and we got to all try Raclette. It was one of the best dinners of my life.”
Solo Trips
In addition to joining excursions included in your program, you’re welcome to set off on your own during your free time and travel to your heart’s content. For Audrey, Nice stands out as one of her favorite trips during her time abroad:
“I loved going to Nice because it was the first time I had ever seen the Mediterranean Sea. It was the bluest water I had ever seen, and I got to experience it when it was still summertime!”
Final Thoughts from Audrey
Reflecting on her incredible semester abroad in Paris, Audrey can’t help but recommend this study program to everyone:
“Anyone and everyone should do this program. My cohort was very mixed, with people from all over the U.S. and Japan. We met people from all around the world at our university, and all of us students had very different French comprehension levels. For this reason, I think anyone could thrive in this specific program.”
Are you ready to take the leap and study abroad like Audrey did in Paris? We’d love to help you start your journey!
Here at AIFS Abroad, we know a thing or two about helping college students study 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.
