Before arriving to France I was filled with an array of emotions, from excitement of?gaining new experiences to the fear of not knowing what to expect. Yes, I have traveled a lot and have been to France before, but this time it would be different. It was going to be the first time staying somewhere other than Paris, not being accompanied by family and staying for a much longer time. Due to past travels to Europe I did have some misconceptions of France, because of what I had previously experienced in Paris. However, it has been three weeks since I arrived in Nice and everything I thought I was going to experience or feel was not quite near the truth.
After the first few days of getting lost around the city through the diverse means of transportation, I feel I have quickly become part of the Ni?oise culture. Every corner on every street I have come across diferrent local shops and a lot of friendly people. Exploring the vieille ville has left me in awe due to the substantial history and architecture Nice has to offer.
The first weeks in Nice, before classes started, I decided to go to different places nearby taking advantage of the train system. Along the C?te d?Azur, I traveled to Monaco, Cannes, Eze Village, Villefrance-sur-Mer, Antibes, etc. and have loved exploring each city/town. I also got the chance to travel to Chamonix, France where I got to witness the beauty of Mont Blanc. Coming back from those travels I was ready to see what my life on campus would be like.
On January 10th we had our orientation, where I got to meet several great people from all over the world and work together with them in a scavenger hunt around the city center. As for the classes, I have come to see the differences in academics from the US and France. Classes, for the most part, run for three hours and schedules change every week. So far, the professors are great and I?ve enjoyed their style of teaching. Many like to include case studies and challenges with local businesses. People at school have been very friendly and have helped me in adapting easily to France.
I am eager to explore more of Europe and delve deeper into my studies as time passes by!
Chamonix, France: Mont Blanc
