IES Abroad Paris

Overall, my time in Paris with IES was a great experience. The IES Center is in a great location on Rue Daguerre, which is a really cool market street. There were always plenty of options for lunch - especially bakeries with traditional French sandwiches and pastries. As far as classes go, the professors were all very nice and willing to talk to us about differences between France and the United States. One of my favorite classes was “Paris Museums” because we spent time in class learning about French art history and then on some evenings during the week, we went to museums to see the actual artwork that we learned about in class. It was so helpful to go through these museums with a professor that could actually tell you about what you were looking at. I probably would not have visited all of the museums we went to on my own, so the class was a great way to see more of Paris. Taking classes solely in French and having to write papers and give presentations in French was also a great way to improve my French and really feel fluent in the language.

I also had an internship while I was in Paris, which is one of the best things I did. I worked there 2 afternoons per week after my classes and all day on Friday (there are no classes at IES on Friday). It was great to get to work with French people and learn about the differences between business culture in America and France. They kept me busy with a variety of tasks including translating documents, designing the newsletter, and posting things on their website and Facebook page. This was such great work experience for the future as well!

My homestay was also a pretty good experience overall. The apartment was in a very nice neighborhood in the 16th arr. and was located very close to two different metro lines, which made getting around the city very convenient. My metro ride to my classes everyday had an above-ground portion that went right by the Eiffel Tower! My host mom was a really good cook and was very nice. However, I was a little disappointed with my homestay overall because I had put on my homestay application that I would prefer to be treated like “family” as opposed to like a “guest.” Although I felt comfortable in the apartment, I never really felt like family and, apart from the required 3 dinners per week, I didn’t feel like my host mom really made much of an effort to show me and my housemate around our neighborhood or Paris at all. But overall, I felt safe and comfortable in my homestay.

It is January 8th, 2016, and what better way to start off the new year than by traveling to Paris, France? For years, it had been my dream to live in the City of Lights, and it is because of IES Abroad that that dream became a reality. By enrolling in their French Studies Program, I was given one hundred and fifteen days to explore and experience France. Every day in the country was an adventure. I would start each morning by eating a traditional French breakfast with my host mother. In between bites of bread and cheese, we would talk about everything under the sun, from fashion to French politics, from traveling to television. Afterwards, I would hop on the Metro to go to the IES Center, where I usually had two or three classes a day. The IES Abroad staff and faculty really took it upon themselves to provide students with an authentic French educational experience. Not only were classes taught exclusively in French, but they were also structured to mirror the typical French classroom. Staff and faculty members were genuinely concerned with student learning, and they encouraged students to not only practice speaking French but also immerse themselves in the city. During my four months abroad, I went on several IES Abroad-sponsored field trips. We visited many places in Paris, including the Notre Dame Cathedral, the Louis Vuitton Foundation, the Montparnasse Tower, and the Place de Vosges. We also had the opportunity to travel to other nearby towns, including Reims, Giverny, and Amboise. However, even without a field trip planned, there was always something to do in Paris once class let out. Some days I would brave the more touristy areas, such as the Louvre Museum, the Sacre-Coeur Basilica, and, of course, the Eiffel Tower. Other days I would chill at a café with friends, where we would laugh and converse over small shots of espresso. There were even times where I would take my camera, ride the Metro to some random station, and just start walking, photographing everything I saw along the way. In doing this, I got to see the real Paris, the one that cannot be seen in just a week’s visit. In just one afternoon stroll, I could find a new patisserie, stumble upon some rad street art, and learn of where to buy French fashion for cheap. The evening usually ended with me returning back home to video chat with friends back in the United States. Study abroad was life changing for me. Never before had I imagined that I would be capable of living in another country by myself. But IES Abroad really helped in ensuring that I found my home away from home. The staff and faculty were there whenever I needed a crutch, but they also encouraged me to go out, be brave, and make the city my own. Now, thanks to this experience, I have a city that I dream of going back to, a city that I miss, and a city that I can call home.

I spent my entire junior year studying abroad with the IES Abroad Business and International Affairs program in Paris, France, and it was easily the best decision of my life.
Paris is a unique place to study in. The city was the most cohesively beautiful European city I have ever been in, with such a rich history and an endless number of things to do. Depending where you are, Paris can have a small town feel or a bustling city one. And French food is the best in the world.
I stayed with the same host family for the entire year and they were wonderful to me. The only downside to my IES program was that it was difficult to make friends with actual Parisians and this was balanced out with my host family, who taught me all about the French culture and language. Living away from everything familiar could be difficult at times and having a family be there for me helped so much.
The center itself took the studying part of study abroad very seriously, but it was easy to balance the school work with fun and travel. The staff was like family to me by the end of the program and they work hard to make sure you have a fun and safe experience. The center put on plenty of events and day trips in the city to show you places only true Parisians know about and they really care about each and every student.
Overall, I would highly recommend this program that made the best year of my life possible!

While I was abroad, I met up with a friend who was studying abroad in Spain and was traveling to Paris for the weekend. She was studying through her home institution and knew almost everyone in her program in Spain. She explained it was almost an extension of her university, and many people in the program did not know Spanish. Her traveling companions even explained to me how they never spoke to their host families because they did not speak Spanish and their families did not speak English. There classes were too easy and they felt as if they could be living in America if not for the fact they were halfway across the world.

If this is what you want, then IES Abroad is not for you. However, I was turned off by the typical extension-of-America study abroad programs commonly offered by large universities with campuses around the world. I wanted to feel as though I was a resident of my host country: speak the language, eat the food, be set in the routine of a typical Parisian student. Luckily, IES gave me exactly that. The classes were all in French and offered a challenge that only serious students could take on. I felt as if I was Parisian for four months when I would hop on the metro, roll my eyes in annoyance at the accordion player as we sped past the Eiffel Tower, and skim my French novel for that day's class discussion. Although there were bumps along the way, IES prepared students to become integrated into French culture and experience life as a real university student instead of a four-month American vacation.

I always thought travelling is an important part of a person’s life, but studying abroad helped me realize how to make the best of it. When you travel to another place, on vacation for example, you visit the city, you learn about the local culture, you come across locals, but you never really get to fully appreciate the place you are in. Studying abroad encouraged me to become part of the new city I was studying in allowing myself to enrich both my personal and academic life. I studied in Paris for a semester and it was a great experience! Not only did I enjoy all the attractions the city had to offer, but I also improved my personality. I learned how to be more independent, how to adapt to a new culture and how to be by myself. This last aspect is not intended in a negative way, in fact, I learned how important it is to be able to take the initiative to go out even if other people don’t want to because you never know what you could miss out on and what you could then tell your friends.
At school I learned a lot of new and exciting things within my major, but the aspect that enriched my knowledge the most is learning how to think about a subject in different ways. Americans might have a certain approach to a problematic which is different from the French, so one should be able to be as open-minded as possible in order to consider both perspectives.
I definitely recommend studying abroad, it doesn’t have to be miles and miles from home, the most important thing is that you feel part of the new environment, not a stranger or tourist. The experience will have a significant impact on your life and the way you look at things; it’s the best way to enrich your knowledge while having fun and travelling, what more could you ask for?

Living and studying in Paris was an absolutely amazing experience. I lived in a homestay with the most genuine french woman who helped me really improve my French. (and she was an amazing cook!) The staff at IES were always ready to help, almost too ready at times. From time to time their oversight of our daily lives was overwhelming, but it is understandable that they wanted to keep an eye on us in the semester immediately after the attacks on Paris. Overall, my experience was so great! If you are fairly confident in your French abilities, I would suggest doing the French Studies program, as the business program is completely in English. Had I done French studies, I'm sure my language abilities would have improved much more than they did in my very easy French course and with my host mom. Work load for classes heavily depends on what course you take, however it is low compared to regular college. If you have trouble making friends, this isn't the study abroad program for you. There is a short orientation upon arrival, but the staff doesn't make much of an effort to introduce you to others in the program (besides a lackluster awkward 20 minute ice breaker session) before you have your first weekend in Paris.

Studying abroad in Paris with the IES Abroad French Studies Program was an experience of a lifetime. I was matched with the most incredible host mother, and roommate from the same program, and we all got along so well; you could tell that IES had taken the time to match people well based on what they had asked for in their housing applications, and that made all the difference in my stay and feeling comfortable throughout my 4 months there. I took 4 classes at the IES center: History of Paris, Modern Art, Creative Writing, and Grammar, and developed a huge appreciation and love for history and art (two subjects I've never been too interested in) thanks to the talented and engaging IES professors, all of whom were native French people. I took two other classes at a local art school, and found myself going to 3 hour classes twice a week, surrounded by a much older crowd of talented parisian artists, whom I shared cheese/bread/wine breaks with halfway through class each time. The culture there, which I found was highly focused on working hard at work, thoroughly relaxing and enjoying time away from work, savoring food at mealtimes, and always appreciating the art and culture and history imbedded throughout the city, was a culture I had never witnessed before, and one which I fell completely in love with. IES Abroad gave us the toolkit to experience it all, through encouraging us to go to cultural events, providing us with the kindest guidance from their staff, the most inspiring professors, and through of course having its location in the very heart of Paris, where we were able to go to any and all of the most beautiful spots within 20-30 minutes after class; I wish I could go back already!

Ever since I was young I dreamed about visiting Paris. IES Abroad gave me the opportunity to not just visit Paris, but to live and learn there! The classes in the business program were interesting, applicable, and worked toward my management major. I was very anxious about studying abroad but IES helped every step of the way. They assisted me through the visa process, made sure I was comfortable with my living situation, and the staff at the center were like family. They went out of their way to help us get phone plans, took us on trips to learn about the culture, fixed problems with metro cards, and much more. It was easy to make friends since we were all from American Universities and in an environment very different than our own. Overall I was able to meet incredible people, live in a culture different than my own, and fulfil my dream of living in Paris.