Greetings from Montpellier! So I’ve been here for a little over a month now. I am finally all settled in and adjusting to life in France. I’m at the point in the semester where things are starting to get serious and you realize that this won’t be a piece of cake. This semester abroad is one of my hardest semesters. I am enjoying the immersion experience however. I am a student at a university called Accent Francais in the center of town, also known as Place de la Comedie. One of the most obvious differences between Accent Francais and UGA is that here, there is not true “campus”. The university is tiny compared to UGA. There are only two buildings, and they’re both filled with classrooms. It’s definitely different from Athens. No MLC, Main Library or Tate to study in.
My favorite thing about my host university has to be my professor Laurence. She is a wonderful teacher, who genuinely wants all of her students to learn. She is great at explaining and engaging students. We often do many oral activities rather than just busy work, which is AWESOME. I feel like I am actually learning and gaining something from her class. She is the first teacher I’ve had whose native language is French. This truly makes all the difference in the world. I really enjoy her class and I especially enjoy that I am not overwhelmed with busy work.
The thing about living in the south of France is that most times it’s hard to actually meet French people. I am only taking classes with the other American students that are accompanying me on this study abroad. Due to this, I actually have to make an effort to make friends outside of school. In Athens, I usually met my friends in a residence hall or in class, which made life a lot easier. This is one of the most challenging adjustments. Sometimes I feel like I am not truly connected to French culture because I have no French friends. I’m not giving up hope. There is still 2 months left!
Being in the south of France offers many different educational opportunities. The grading scale is much more lenient here than my usual grading scale. However, in the south the educational system is much more strict and although education is basically free, there are a series of tests that every student must take in order to continue their education in certain areas.
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Ready. Set. Europe 