So many people who study abroad make it seem like traveling to a different country every weekend is the norm. We are bombarded with instagram photos from different locations deemed exotic, which make us believe that traveling around Europe is not only easy, but extremely affordable.
For some of us, however, it is just not feasible to travel everywhere on our own dollar. Sorry, kids, but that’s the reality. But don’t fret! You can still get your insta-worthy moment abroad.
With CEA, we are lucky enough to have several excursions included in the program so everyone gets the opportunity to travel to different cities and even different countries. You will have more than enough stories, photos and videos to make all your friends and family back home jealous.
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| Relaxing by the coast of Marseille |
My favorite excursion thus far has been our weekend trip to Provence where we actually got to visit three different cities: Aix-en-Provence, Marseille and Nîmes. Our program covers transportation, our hotel, a tour of Paul Cézanne’s art studio and one of the best meals I’ve had here in France. It is so nice to have these things included in our program fees, but once again I must mention the pricelessness of our CEA director, Patrick, who is all part of the package. Having the funds to travel is one thing, but having the knowledge of what to do in a foreign location can often be even more valuable.
When we were in Aix, we met up with other students who were also studying abroad with CEA. They, their program director, and our trusted Patrick gave us the best advice on where to eat and what do to while in the city. There was a sense of camaraderie or even a feeling of family between the CEA community. Even though we had never met the other students before we were able to make friends with each other quickly. They helped us explore the city, acknowledging that it can be nearly impossible to get to the heart of a city when you don’t have a friend who knows the area well. I am so grateful to have been able to truly experience not only Aix, but Marseille and Nîmes with individuals who know the areas and were willing to teach us about them. To me, that one trip was more valuable than having the funds to go to fifty different cities I would have known nothing about.
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| Exploring the Pont du Gard just outside of Nîmes |
Samantha Steed is a Spring 2016 CEA MOJO Blogger in Grenoble, France. She is currently a junior at Soka University.