My time living in Cannes seems to be flying by! The days are getting warmer and the sun is staying out later, yet even with these longer days, I still feel as busy as ever. In large part, I have my study abroad program (AIFS) to thank. The two local reps from AIFS have an office right on campus, and they are always incredibly welcoming and helpful. Every week they provide us with a newsletter of the upcoming events as well as advice on things like dealing with homesickness, French food, or radio stations for French news and music. AIFS has offered food and wine tastings, shown French movies, and have taken us on several day-trips, including the very small and very wealthy county of Monaco, the medieval city of Eze, and Grasse, the perfume capital of the world. With all of these visits, they include insightful tours and fun activities and also leave free time for independent exploration.
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| One of the yacht-studded ports of Monaco |
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| One of the world's first major casinos is located in Monte Carlo |
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| Parade from the "Carnaval" in Nice |
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| Perfume factory and museum of Grasse |
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| The 400 scents that a professional perfumer must memorize by scent and chemical composition |
For anyone looking to study abroad and comparing different companies, I would recommend looking into what excursions and activities they offer. All of these trips with AIFS have greatly added to the value and depth of my experience in Cannes. I cannot over-emphasize how important it is to travel while studying abroad. What's great about Europe is that independent travel on the weekend is easy and affordable. Every Friday there are several people from our group packing up to spend a few days in Paris, Milan, Dublin, Barcelona or Berlin. In the US you could fly for an hour and be in the same state. In Europe, you can land in a new country with a radically different culture with its own language, food, dress, etc. As for myself, I'm very excited to be spending our upcoming Spring Break exploring Amsterdam, Cologne, and Barcelona.
À bientôt,
Kara
