Caleb’s Spring Semester in Cannes
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Wish to hear from a school scholar who did a Research + Internship overseas program in France? We lately caught up with AIFS Overseas participant Caleb from the College of North Carolina Wilmington, who spent his spring semester finding out overseas within the film-famous metropolis of Cannes.
Learn on to be taught extra about Caleb’s expertise with the AIFS Overseas Research + Internship Program in Cannes.
Selecting a Research Overseas Program Vacation spot & Time period
Deciding the place to research overseas might be difficult for some college students (our crew may help with that!) as a result of there are such a lot of wonderful locations you’ll be able to go together with AIFS Overseas. Thankfully, regardless of which vacation spot you select, you’re in for an expertise of a lifetime. As a French main, Caleb’s option to go to France was a straightforward one:
“Earlier than I made a decision on a metropolis, I knew I needed to go to France as a result of I’m finding out French, and I needed to be immersed within the language to enhance my language skills. Cannes was an ideal match. The AIFS program in Cannes [has] a mixed research overseas and internship [option]. I used to be in a position to take French lessons and intern on the Cannes Movie Pageant. I’m a lover of movie so this allowed me to take part in one of many greatest worldwide movie festivals and be taught extra concerning the European movie business from inside it. Cannes can also be situated on the Côte d’Azur (aka the French Riviera) which is about an hour away from Monaco and an hour and a half away from Italy. This made it simple to journey and discover different locations. Cannes is situated on the seashore, which is ideal for me as a result of I really like the seashore.”
As Caleb talked about, he selected a Research + Internship overseas program. This distinctive possibility permits you to take lessons and have the traditional research overseas expertise whilst you beef up your resume and achieve hands-on skilled expertise—you actually can’t go unsuitable. It’s an incredible possibility for individuals who can’t determine between research overseas and worldwide internship packages or need a bit of little bit of each.
Selecting a time period is one other essential consideration. AIFS Overseas affords wonderful packages within the spring and fall semesters along with the summer time. Right here’s why Caleb selected to check and intern overseas in the course of the spring:
“[Going abroad during spring semester] allowed me to take part within the Cannes Movie Pageant which happens in Might yearly. Coming in February was excellent as I arrived within the city when it was quiet and quaint earlier than the vacationer season began. I skilled among the winter climate but it surely shortly bought hotter and I used to be in a position to benefit from the heat and sunshine of the Côte d’Azur and its seashores.”
Lecturers Overseas
One of many unbelievable advantages of research overseas packages is that they expose you to a unique college expertise. Caleb discovered it to be an enormous (however welcome) change:
“I attended the Campus Worldwide de Cannes. This expertise was distinctive because it was a a lot smaller campus than I used to be used to. My program had about 25 college students with AIFS, and there have been different worldwide college students as properly. It was an enormous change from my dwelling college, which is way larger. It felt good as a result of all of the individuals in my program turned our personal little group.”
As Caleb explains, his lessons had been an incredible alternative to use his studying to the actual world and meet new individuals:
“Courses right here had been small with about 15-20 college students. They consisted of AIFS college students in addition to worldwide college students from locations reminiscent of Peru, Mexico, Italy, and Switzerland.
I beloved all of my lessons as a result of they had been very hands-on. I beloved the sector journeys probably the most. In my grammar class, we might go into city and follow talking with locals. This helped me really feel rather more assured talking French. In my theatre class, I bought to go to an area college to do a efficiency with a few of my classmates for a French graduate scholar’s thesis undertaking.”
Internship Expertise
Research + Internship overseas packages differ, however all of them function a mix of lessons and part-time in-person internship expertise. Caleb’s program included a short-term, two-week internship that gave him hands-on expertise within the movie business, volunteering on the Cannes Movie Pageant. Right here’s what his every day life throughout his internship appeared like:
“I usually awoke and went to class within the morning after which went to my internship within the afternoon. I labored for a Belgian manufacturing firm in the course of the Cannes Movie Pageant as an workplace assistant. I accomplished an assortment of duties across the workplace, welcomed purchasers, and spoke in both French or English to go well with their wants… I might have lunch on the workplace as properly, the place I might speak with workers to be taught extra concerning the firm and the European movie business.”
Wherever your internship program vacation spot is, you’ll possible discover that the skilled tradition may be very completely different in comparison with the U.S. American work tradition is thought for its lengthy hours and give attention to productiveness quite than high quality of life, and European work tradition tends to be extra laid again! Right here’s what Caleb needed to say about his host firm’s tradition and interning in Cannes:
“The corporate tradition was very completely different from that of the USA. Whereas it was knowledgeable surroundings, it was not as formal between staff and the administration. In French, there are completely different phrases to make use of for ‘you.’ There may be ‘vous’ and ‘tu.’ ‘Vous’ is extra formal and ‘tu’ will not be formal. I began utilizing ‘vous’ [at my internship] as a result of it was knowledgeable surroundings; nonetheless, my boss informed me to simply use ‘tu’ and that I didn’t want to talk so formally. This was very fascinating to me as a result of I really feel like that’s not as widespread in workplaces in the USA.”
As he found, his internship wasn’t all work; it additionally got here with alternatives to get to know the workers and luxuriate in some distinctive perks:
“My firm had free lunches and offered me with the chance to take a seat in on enterprise conferences. Nonetheless, the very best profit was that we acquired free tickets to screenings in the course of the Cannes Movie Pageant. I bought to stroll the pink carpet and see a few premieres.”
Profession Alternatives
One cause to decide on an worldwide internship or Research + Internship program is that it expands your profession horizons, permitting you to bolster your resume, develop worthwhile profession expertise, construct knowledgeable community, and stand out to future employers. As Caleb explains:
“The corporate left future alternatives open if I ended up in Europe sooner or later. This helped me enhance my resume and present future employers that I can work in numerous cultures and a unique language. I made connections with lots of people overseas. I’ve skilled contacts with members on the firm. I additionally nonetheless converse with my professors and Program Director.”
Making Associates Overseas
Whether or not you select to research overseas with buddies from dwelling or set out by yourself is completely as much as you. Whereas taking that first step can really feel scary, it’s essential to do not forget that you’ll be making new buddies as quickly as you arrive in your program vacation spot, like Caleb did:
“Making buddies is very easy in a program overseas as a result of lots of different college students are arriving with out figuring out different individuals as properly. You all have some kind of commonality for selecting to do the identical [or a] comparable program. I might simply strive speaking to everybody and you will see that somebody you vibe with… I made buddies [with people] from different nations and [Americans] throughout the USA who I nonetheless speak to.”
Language Studying
As a French Main, Caleb selected to go to France in order that he may enhance his French language expertise. Nonetheless, you’re not required to be fluent in one other language to check or intern overseas. Whereas some programs require language proficiency, many packages don’t require any second language data in any respect. In the end, whether or not you be taught a brand new language whereas finding out or interning overseas is completely as much as you!
Right here’s what Caleb needed to say about his French language program in Cannes:
“French is the first language the place I studied. You didn’t have to know the language earlier than you began this system; nonetheless, you probably did must take a French class whereas there. Whereas most individuals converse English, it’s a lot simpler to know a bit of little bit of French to do higher. My French expertise improved a lot after being there. I used to be in a position to be taught conversational French, which isn’t actually taught at school. I discovered lots of slang and the way French individuals truly converse. My greatest recommendation is simply to strive. You’re solely going to get out as a lot as you place in.”
Housing
All AIFS Overseas packages embrace varied scholar housing choices. For research overseas and Research + Internship packages, the choices are normally a homestay, scholar residence/dorm, and a shared residence. Caleb actually lucked out along with his room with a view of the Sea!
“I used to be in a dorm on campus, in a single room. I beloved the view from my room looking over the Mediterranean Sea. I additionally preferred that I had a sink and mirror in my room. It was a smaller room but it surely labored as a result of I didn’t have a ton of stuff. We didn’t have any air-con, however I bought a fan, which helped.”
Why AIFS Overseas?
One of many many causes so many college students and interns select AIFS Overseas is as a result of all our program locations have on-site help workers who’re there to satisfy you as quickly as you arrive. Our Program Administrators are significantly useful. They’re an incredible useful resource for studying extra about your program vacation spot, and you’ll at all times go to them when you have any questions or points.
Hear Caleb clarify why he selected AIFS Overseas:
“I needed to verify I had help whereas overseas, and AIFS has Program Administrators that provide help to on-site with something you need assistance with. I had an incredible Program Director, Aude, who helped me take advantage of my time overseas. I additionally beloved that AIFS has excursions included in this system. These journeys took me to locations I might not have gone alone. I bought to make my fragrance in Grasse, the world’s fragrance capital. I bought to kayak within the shiny blue waters of the Gorges du Verdon. I had heard from college students who went overseas with AIFS Overseas earlier than, they usually had nice experiences. I can confidently say the identical now.”
Remaining Ideas & Recommendation
The experiences you achieve whilst you’re overseas will stay with you eternally. It’s an exhilarating time that you simply’re certain to look again on fondly. For anybody who’s going overseas sooner or later, Caleb needed to say the next:
“I hope that you’ve got the very best time overseas. This expertise goes to be one which you’ll always remember. Take pleasure in your time and do the belongings you wish to do. Focus in your research but in addition be certain to get pleasure from the truth that you’re abroad. Discover and reside your life. Have enjoyable!”
Are you a scholar who’s able to take the leap and research and intern overseas like Caleb did in Cannes with AIFS Overseas? We’d love that can assist you begin your journey!
Right here at AIFS Overseas, we all know a factor or two about serving to faculty college students research and intern overseas. All our packages include many useful inclusions, which takes lots of the stress out of planning. From coordinating your housing to offering issues like cultural and social actions, excursions, complete insurance coverage, 24/7 emergency help, on-site workers, and extra, you’ll take consolation in figuring out you’ll have help all through your total expertise overseas.
