CEA Study Abroad in French Riviera, France

My experience was very special because it was my first time out of the United States. I was anxious and frightened about what lied ahead not knowing how traveling that far went. All together, it was the most life changing experience I have ever had and I am so grateful for the opportunity. The program made me felt so safe and after a week or so of adjusting; I felt at home. The little things like going to the grocery store were so fun because of the culture difference and scenery. Studying abroad helped with my self growth and self reliance.

While abroad, I engaged with my local community by going to the daily farmers' market and interacting with the local community. I signed up for the local gym, would have everyday conversations, and building relationships with the workers and the regulars at the gym. I also went to a couple of different cafes daily and would practice my french with them and be friendly to me when I mess up. I interned at the Cannes Film Festival. This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience where I was able to work for a french film company as a videographer, party meister, and personal assistant. I will never forget the first-weekend trip I took abroad when I went to Paris with my friend for his 21st birthday. It was jaw-dropping and eye-opening and made me fall in love with traveling for the rest of my life. Now, I genuinely believe traveling is the best thing you can do in life and what truly helps you discover who you are.

CEA French Riviera is the absolute best program you can choose for study abroad. First things first, you get to live in Antibes, which is the yacht capital or Europe, and one of the most gorgeous coastal towns on the French Riviera. Think about it, how many people get to say they did that! If your there at the right time of year, you can go to class in the morning, and go to the beach in the Afternoon! Antibes is a short train ride away from many other destinations in the area such as Nice, Monaco, Cannes, and Grass, not to mention all the other little Eagle nest villages to visit in your spare time.

This program puts you at one of the best business school's in Europe (SKEMA), where you will have professors from all over the globe teach your classes.

The absolute best part of this program is the onsite director Kristen. Kristen will be there for you every step of the way, I have never met such a nice and caring person in my life. She ensures that you have a comfortable transition into the semester, and takes you on many different excursions. She is truly an expert on the area. Kristen also host many onsite activities such as Wine Tasting.

You truly cannot go wrong with this program! Trust me you'll be glad you spent your semester abroad in Antibes!

I throughly enjoyed my time abroad. I met some of my best friends while there. We continue to travel the world together. My roommates taught me so many things about their own culture while I taught them mine. The program director was absolutely amazing she was able to help us in a moments notice and she was fluent in English, French, and German. She made us feel very welcome and answered all of our questions via email before we even arrived. I would highly recommend this program. Antibes was very safe all of the time. We never felt like we had to be on edge.

I can very easily say that studying abroad in the French Riviera through CEA has been one of the best experiences of my life. Our on-site coordinator, Kristen, was like a second mom to our group of 24 college students. The excursions and activities that she planned made my four months that much more special. Our housing was very centrally located and the public transportation made it easy to visit other neighboring cities like Nice and Cannes. Living in a different country for a semester can be scary, but it didn't take long before Antibes felt like my home. I feel so connected to Antibes that I plan to go back and visit every three years. And I have CEA to thank for it. I would highly recommend this program to anyone who is considering studying abroad.

This program is really great! I am so glad that I chose to come to the Riviera, and I think that everyone needs to know more about the South of France in general! The program was small, so it made it easier to get to know the people in our group really well, as well as get to know anyone they met here as well! The city we are located in, Antibes, is quaint, easy to get around in, and has just the right amount of locals to make it exciting and always buzzing. I have also never seen so many yachts in my life! Our program director is seriously the best person to have here, she is so helpful and really makes it feel like home from the moment you get here. The experiences here will last me a lifetime and it really has become one of my favorite places in Europe to be! I will really miss living in France, and I will definitely be back some day!

Studying in the French Riviera was the best choice I have ever made. Since being here, I have traveled to so many different cities and after spending 3 days in a busy, touristy area it truly feels like home once I get back to Antibes. It is a good size city with so much to do, with a beautiful climate and rich culture. It is also a 20 minute train ride each way to Nice or Cannes, very big cities in the South of France giving you even more exposure in the relaxed French culture. The CEA coordinator and fellow group members feel like a family and it is always fun when we get together for excursions or weeknight events. It is also very easy to get to and from the airport to travel while studying here. I traveled almost every weekend, of course determined by finances and school schedule, but this program was very good at promoting weekend travel and our coordinator was always willing to help with planning or giving tips for each city. This is an experience I will never forget and I will only ever speak highly of this program and country!

This was one of the most growing, most exiting, and by far one of the best four months of my life. CEA made all the pre-abroad paperwork easy to understand, they handled the logistics of lodging and schooling, welcomed us at the airport when we arrived, and the onsite specialist, Kristin, continued supporting us through the entire semester. CEA organized multiple different weekend excursions that allowed us to travel and experience cultures without the headache of planning. We also had the flexibility of adjusting our school schedules. For me, that meant I got every Friday off to spend exploring Antibes and other cities with new friends. Studying in the French Riviera is such a treat because the town of Antibes is a paradise in itself. My apartment was a five minute walk from the Mediterranean beaches and there were plenty of little nooks to sit and enjoy nature. There is a little Italian Gelato shop right by the beach where my friends and I would alway go to get the best gelato in town and say "ciao" to the owner. I would highly recommend this slow-paced, quaint environment to spend your four months abroad.