When you first
arrive in a new country as an exchange ambassador it is a little nerve racking.
You have to find temporary living accommodations, learn your way around a new
city, learn your bearings (like where the school is), and then you have to find
a permanent residence. All this takes place within one to two weeks, and it
feels very fast. In my experience the international coordinators at IPAG made
this process very easy for me. They found me a small studio within two days,
and I didn’t have to stress about anything.
I’ve made a ton
of new friends from all over the U.S. and the rest of the world as well. I’ve
made some good friends with Spanish, German, Austrian, Polish, Brazilian,
Finnish, Dutch, and of course French students. The classes are also very interesting,
and they involve a lot more active learning and group discussions. So far I’ve
traveled a little of southern France, and I’ve seen Barcelona. I am going to the
Netherlands and already plan on visiting Italy multiple times before I depart.
It is great being in central Europe because it is fairly cheap to travel around
the rest of Europe. 
Nice is an
amazing city. There is the very old district with classical features and
authentic food but there is also a very new and modern part of the city as well,
and both aspects intersect each other. The beach is beautiful, but it is all
smooth rocks with no sand; the Mediterranean water is always warm. Right next
to the beach is a hill called Castle Hill that used to have a large citadel at the
top before it was destroyed; there are
amazing views from the top. Behind that is a hill called Cimiez, which has some
ancient Roman ruins at the top. If you enjoy history, Nice is definitely rich
with it. 
I recommend to
any student who is looking to study abroad to consider France. IPAG is a great
school for business students, the people are friendly, there is great food and
wine, and there is awesome night life for young college students.
I just want to
thank Renee Cassidy and the rest of the staff of the Center for International
Service at CSI and Professor Zimmerman for this great opportunity they’ve given
to me. And to all students who read this -
if you study abroad, whether in France or any other country, you will
gain great life experience and learn many things that you never even knew were
out in the world. CSI has great programs, so take advantage of them and don’t
let life pass you by; you are only young once.
