IAU offers a variety of focuses, including French, Honors French and a Wine Studies program.
Aix-en-Provence is located in Provence, in southern France and the offers access to traditional French culture in an intimate setting, while maintaining the charm and elegance of a large metropolis.
I’ve been home now from France for about a week and wanted to share my experience at the end and kind of share how this trip has impacted me!
So as we all know, the end of any regular semester is always hectic with final exams, moving out, and saying goodbye for the summer… now multiply this by 100 and that’s what it felt like during my final week in France. I had 5 finals during the week and I was starting to realize that my time in France was really coming to an end.
On Thursday, Alex and I took our host mom Josette out to dinner as a final thank you for all she’s done for us this semester. We had amazing Italian pizza at a corner restaurant, it felt really nice to give back to her after she took care of us for a semester.
The following day was “graduation” for all of us IAU students. We were each given a gold stole with IAU written on the bottom. We paraded down through the center of Aix to the town hall to celebrate each other and our accomplishments. Lots of tears and hugs occurred as many of us were saying goodbye to the faculty and each other for the final time. We celebrated that night by going to our favorite bar and saying goodbye to the bar owners and servers who we had become friends with along the way. The hardest goodbye was to my host mom. She was so sweet and made sure our entire abroad experience went smoothly. It was so sad saying goodbye but now I have a reason to go and visit France again.
My flights home went smoothly (unlike my adventure there), and I was welcomed back with both my parents and my dog. My transition back to the American lifestyle has been pretty difficult and I believe I’m struggling with some re-entry culture shock. I have lots of emotions going through my brain and my body seems a bit disoriented. Despite these negative after effects of study abroad, I wouldn’t change a single second of it all. I had such an amazing semester surrounded by smiles, laughter, and love.
It always feels like so much happens between each post and never enough space to tell you everything!
I had my Spring Break recently which was absolutely amazing! I traveled with my friends and we decided to stay in France and understand this wonderful country we are staying in beyond Aix! We went to Normandy, Strasbourg, and Dijon, all absolutely stunning in their own ways. However, for this post I wanted to focus on Strasbourg as I felt a strong connection to that historically rich city.
The city itself is located right inside the border of France and Germany, which means that the city feels like this wonderful blend of French and German culture. Throughout history, Strasbourg has changed its nationality from French to German countless times. So much so that if you’re walking through the streets you might even hear a unique language to the people that live there, Alsatian. It’s not quite German and not quite French, an utterly beautiful combination of these countries.
Now, I won’t nerd out with the history here (but if you would like to know more on the history during WWII, I would be more than happy to oblige). The buildings are stunning and are much more of German influence in the main heart of town with dark wood exposed beams and colors of pale pinks, yellows, creams, greens and oranges. When we were in the town we noticed parts around the massive cathedral in center were blocked off the first day, so we asked one of the guards what was happening and we come to find out current President Macron was visiting at the same time we were! During the time we were there we visited the cathedral which was named Cathedral of Our Lady Strasbourg and climbed all 332 steps to the top viewing point. We also went on a boat tour of the history of Strasbourg on the Rhine River and ended the trip with a wine tour to two family owned vineyards in the Alsace region!
Of course we couldn’t end our trip without some travel troubles, we ended up having to get off our original train due to an accident and got on a fully booked train where we had to stand in the aisle of the food cart section for an hour and a half. It’s not traveling without an unexpected adventure to keep you on your toes!
Next, let’s fast forward to this past weekend which was spent in the south of Spain. My friend’s grandparents currently live there and we had the wonderful opportunity to stay with them for the weekend. We visited the Mosque Cathedral of Cordoba which took my breath away. The raw vastness of the space and size along with the inclusivity for more than one religion to be held in one space. Beautiful unique red and white arches surround the interior with a massive cathedral in the center with carved gold and white ceilings and two organs facing each other topped with their own statues. I could’ve stayed there for hours learning the history. We also visited the town of Malaga the last day as we had our flight there. We ate some wonderful seafood for lunch and had gelato for dessert. Overall a wonderful fully packed weekend of discovering yet another new culture!
I’ll leave you with this small tiny bit of advice, if you have the opportunity to travel DO IT. I cannot believe how much you learn about yourself while discovering the world. The bond you make with your soul is one that only gets stronger when you allow yourself to embrace every person and place you go. I’ve made some of the strongest connections with the people here and I’m so grateful I took that leap of uncertainty to this country. If it’s a little nerve-racking you know you’re in the right direction.
This past weekend, my friend and I decided to take a quick trip to Sweden! I’ll start off by saying it definitely wasn’t enough time, but goodness was it gorgeous! (And COLD).
Why Sweden, do you ask? Well, to visit an old study abroad friend of the family! When he was in high school, Sebastian, had stayed with my grandparents and thus a wonderful family friend was born.
We arrived on Friday, April 1st, very late at night and the next morning our crazy jaunt around Stockholm began. We stayed with Sebastian, his partner Hanna and their three daughters. We started our Saturday with a tour of Old Town and the palace, which then lead us to the water front that divides Old Town Stockholm and New. While in Old Town we passed the Nobel Peace Prize building surrounded by beautiful colorful buildings of reds, yellows, blues and greens.
After the beautiful walk through Old Town we crossed the bridge into New Stockholm and quickly peaked in through the National Museum and looked at some beautiful art from Sweden all the way back to France! After the museum our stomachs were growling and we headed over to an indoor upscale foodcourt eatery with a ton of options! Alex and I chose the meatballs and mashed potatoes (which were absolutely delicious). The inside looked like a train station from the 1920’s.
After we were all refueled up, we headed to the infamous Vasa Museum! The Vasa is a 17th Century war ship almost completely intact. The war ship is famous…but maybe famous for something less heroic than you may think. The morning that the ship was set to depart, it sank right out of the port due to a gust of wind. Thus toppling the dimensions of the ship over and ending her grand adventure before it could set sail.
After the Vasa, we took a ferry across the water to Old Town and took the train back to Sebastian and Hanna’s house for a homemade dinner! We met Sebastian’s brother, his wife, and their one year old son. It was a wonderful night of laughter, stories, and smiles.
Sunday morning consisted of a quick visit to the city hall of Stockholm and ended with lunch on a crisp sunny afternoon waterfront view. We ended up flying home content and happy with such a packed weekend of new and fond memories.
The past few weekends consisted of embracing different aspects of life here in southern France and I couldn’t be more excited to share.
First, I decided to take a quick weekend getaway trip to a coastal town an hour away from Aix, La Ciotat! As I’m a Seattleite myself, it felt like a breath of home when I arrived in that small town. It was a warm and slightly breezy afternoon as my two friends and I stepped out of the train. Sea salt filled the air, the colorful red, yellow, and blue sail boats bobbed on the crystal clear water. Our air bnb located in a small walk way right next to the harbor amid the bustling day and night life. Multiple pubs, restaurants and antique shops lined the walk of the entire harbor with laughs and shouts echoing right outside our air bnb.
We enjoyed a casual and cozy night after a wonderful dinner on a beach front restaurant watching a movie and enjoying each other’s company. The next day we woke up to head back to Aix, and there was a market with fresh fish, fruit, vegetables, clothes and more waiting for us as we stepped outside. It was cloudy and windy that Sunday morning but we didn’t mind, as we walked along and enjoyed the sights of a friendly small town market. We spent the day wandering the town as we waited for our train and spent the short ride home happy and ready for the next adventure in store.
The next trip was this past Saturday for my history class “France during the Occupation” which focuses on France and the occupation of German soldiers during the second World War. This field study took us to the town of Eygalières, a beautiful small town that is located in the region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur. The weather was absolutely beautiful, sunny, a slight breeze, and got up to 71 degrees °F. The people all around us seemed to be enjoying soaking up every ounce and minute this town had to offer. Laughs and smiles and the occasional curiosity at a big group of American students walking through town. (I mean, I know we would be curious!)
Both of these towns had a different atmosphere but one thing remained the same, the smiles and laughter of the citizens was contagious. I am so lucky to say I’ve been able to experience this slow-paced and happy culture. I’m so fortunate to embrace the people, the food, the music, and the nature around me every second I’m here.
My last blog covered travels, so I figured the next one should focus on the bulk of my experience abroad, Southern France!
The weather here in Aix is a stark contrast to that of McMinnville Oregon. It rarely, if ever, rains and is warm and dry. There is a great wind that is known as the Mistral winds that come from the coast. Some days it’s a nice gentle breeze, and others it nearly knocks you off your feet with one step outside.
Let’s take a look at a daily schedule of mine. I currently live with my host mom about a 30 minute walk away from the middle of town and school. If it’s a particularly nice day, I wake up a little earlier so I can enjoy my walk down to class. There are actually African Ringneck Parakeets living in downtown Aix, they flit above your head on your walk down as bright green flashes. After arriving downtown depending on if I have a morning or afternoon class I grab a bite to eat. If it’s the morning I go to my favorite boulangerie and grab a pain au chocolate and a beignet with some coffee. It’s become such routine that the lady that works mornings has memorized my order and now we talk a bit when she makes my coffee.
I then head to class for an hour or two and grab lunch in town. Sometimes hitting the market and strolling through the vendors and smelling the fresh flowers. Each day I still take in everything like it’s my first time. The architecture always blows my mind and the historical rich town and culture is a constant dream. The locals that have gotten to know me wave as I pass their shops and/or restaurants. The happiness here in the community is overwhelming. Sometimes I stumble into a new street or corner I haven’t seen before and there is a new fountain or church with beautiful art carved into the stone. Most of the time it feels like I have walked on to a movie set and I have the amazing opportunity to soak it up and live in it every day.
At the end of the day I have to make it back to my homestay for dinner at 7pm. Due to the one mile hike to go back up to the homestay and after a long day of walking the town, I take the bus for a 15 minute ride back home. There are times our host mom will cook crêpes for dinner and they are a thousand times better than what you can get on the street.
I’m so thankful for this experience and I hope this gave you a little peak at the wonderful every day life of a study abroad student in Aix en Provence.
This past month of February consisted of so many adventures I’m not even sure where to begin! First, I went with my friend Alex Burkeen to Paris for a weekend and absolutely adored it. During this weekend trip, we were able to see the Eiffel Tower, the Catacombs and the Notre Dame (albeit only the outside because it is still closed to the public after the fire in April of 2019.)
So, to cover up missing the inside of that Cathedral we ended up visiting a gorgeous one not too far from the Notre Dame, Chateau Sainte Chapelle. We ended our weekend of fun with the Louvre Museum. The sights inside were grand and magnificent as we strolled through the current greek exhibit and snuck a small peak at the Mona Lisa. So much to see in so little time!
After a week back at school it was time for yet another weekend trip with Alex, this time to the U.K! When we arrived the Stansted airport was in a sort of panic, as there was a big wind and rain storm headed directly our way. We couldn’t board a train to our airbnb so we found an Uber, who mistakenly dropped us off at the wrong address in the middle of the storm. Luckily our airbnb hosts were parents themselves and picked us up, only for us to find out they had lost power! So, whats the next thing we do? We go get dinner with our hosts of course!
The power soon came back on and we traveled to downtown London the next day to see all the wonderful sights….in the pouring down rain! We were able to see Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, and Big Ben (also sadly under construction.) The views were wonderful but the rain and wind started to get a bit chilly so we found another attraction to visit, The London Dungeons. We partook on a small dark and damp journey learning about the plague, Jack the Ripper and Sweeney Todd. All in theatrical fun encounters with some jump scares to boot! Afterwards the rain had stopped and a beautiful sunset overtook the London skyline.
The following day was the highlight of the entire trip, a tour of Warner Brothers Harry Potter Studios! My inner child was crying the entire day, as we saw the main set and props where all 8 movies were filmed. We ended the day by buying some wands of our own (obviously I chose Sirius Blacks wand).
Overall, it has been a great adventure filled month with surprises everyday. I’ve gotten the hang of the cultural life here in Aix en Provence and love each day more than the last. I’m so excited to tell you all about my next journey!
My name is Emma Libby and I am a current Junior double major in Wine and Journalism at Linfield. I began my journey abroad a little differently than most this semester. Originally I was set to leave during the early start program departing on the 15th of January, however, Covid-19 had other plans in store for me. I contracted the virus over the holidays and my mom contracted it after me. This resulted in my delay to the regular start which was set to depart January 21st. Once again, Covid-19 had other plans in store. Due to further complications in the prolonged exposure to the virus I had to make a decision to show up after classes had begun or choose to study abroad in the fall. I thought to myself, “I have worked too hard to give up now!” So, I decided I would arrive late and leave January 30th.
With that set in stone, I left on the first plane headed to Charles De Gaulle Airport in Paris with a connecting flight from there to Marseille. However the connecting flight left an hour after my first one was set to arrive, leaving very little wiggle room for error. Turns out my first flight was delayed almost an hour, and once we arrived I had 30 minutes to catch my next one. This would have been doable if there weren’t 9 other flights set to leave at that same exact time causing the customs line to be backed up for 20 minutes. With some panic I realized I missed my flight, luckily I had amazing help in rescheduling on the next available flight a couple hours later.
Once I had finally arrived that Monday, a friend of mine was available to pick me up at the airport in Marseille and officially give me a warm welcome to France. I was happily greeted by my host mom and thus, my life in Aix was about to begin!
I fought the jetlag the following morning as I took the 30 minute walk to class through town. The walk was brisk but beautiful as the bright blue morning sky contrasted against the rustic tan and aged buildings lining the cobblestone street. Pigeons scattered the sky as equally as they crowded the roads. The streets were lined with shop after shop, smells of freshly baked breads and pastries filled the air and I knew I made the right decision despite all the challenges, this was where I was meant to be.
The moral of this start to my journey is: don’t be afraid to take that adventure no matter how many times the plan may change because you never know what stories you will find along the way!
La Ciotat, the birthplace of moving picture cinema… and Bocci Ball. On my second week here we took a group excursion with the entire school to the wonderful coastal not-so-sleepy retirement village of La Ciotat. Upon first sight, we thought La Ciotat appeared like a small beautiful city by the sea, but seemingly un-busy. With more young people opting to live in the big cities, France’s rural populations like La Ciotat are aging. However, when we arrived that morning at ten we found the city to be a veritable hub of activity. There were people swimming across the bay right past several large group water aerobic classes. On the boardwalk, there were all ages of electric scooters, bikes, and joggers making their way home from the market with groceries hung on each handlebar. And yes, there was an entire park filled with organized Bocci ballplayers.
As we traversed the town, our guides pointed out several important places like the Eden Theater, where the Lumiere brothers showed the first-ever moving picture of a train entering the La Ciotat station. Having shown the first film ever to an audience means we saw the first and oldest movie theater in the world. Next, we saw the routine morning market and stopped by to get some lunch materials such as baguettes, cheeses, and fresh produce.
After the market, we went up the coast a short way by bus and hiked out to this rocky beachfront. Although lacking in sandy beaches to lay on, it made up for it with several tall rock out-croppings to dive off. As someone from the rainy, freezing north-west coast jumping into relatively warm-salty crystal clear waters of the Mediterranean was almost as shocking as jumping into the 50 F (10 C) waters back in Oregon. The sea was so calm that we could see down to all the reflective gray fish swimming just meters below us. We spent our time cheering each other on as we dove from cliffs and exploring the inlet.
I am embarrassed to say that our very apparent American enthusiasm must have unfortunately overpowered the other more reserved French beach-goers where we swam that day. This is the case with almost anywhere we go as a large group, especially because many of the students don’t speak much French. The stark contrast of American English being spoken enthusiastically between one another is quite harsh on the ears when compared to the subtle tones of most French conversationalists.
It is not just the language though, during orientation we were told that the French are often less reserved in certain public settings where other countries’ social conventions would have them be more outgoing. Although, it is important to remember this distinction is only a generalized observation and not the rule. It is all part of the cultural exchange experience, where we gain perspective of our place in the world while understanding someone else’s.