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Eager to step into the footsteps of a college student who did a Study + Internship abroad program in France? We recently caught up with AIFS Abroad participant Hannah from Chapman University, who spent her spring semester studying and interning abroad in the cinematic city of Cannes!
Read on to learn how Hannah’s experience with the AIFS Abroad Study + Internship Program in Cannes unlocked professional opportunities!
Choosing a Program Destination & Term
So, you want to study or intern abroad, but you’re unsure where and when to go—no worries! AIFS Abroad offers incredible programs in a wide variety of destinations around the world and during every major school term. If you’ve taken some time to go over our options and still can’t decide, our team can help you narrow down your choices!
For Hannah, language learning had a lot to do with choosing France:
“I took French in high school and always knew I wanted to do a semester abroad in a French-speaking country. The south of France appealed to me because it’s beautiful, but also because it’s less international and touristy outside of tourist season. I think it was more culturally immersive than if I’d gone to Paris, for example. I would recommend this program to the type of student who actually cares to learn French and learn about French culture, as most of the classes are language-learning focused.”
As for deciding on an AIFS Abroad program, specifically, Hannah explains:
“I chose the AIFS Cannes program because it fit what I was looking for among the programs my university offered. I liked that I would be living and studying with a cohort of American students; it wasn’t an exchange program where I would be alone.”
Finally, choosing spring was easy for Hannah—she wanted to see the Cannes International Film Festival!
“I chose the Spring Extended Semester because I wanted to do the Cannes Film Festival internship. It was a great time to go because the weather only got better the longer we were there. Our semester coincided with the Nice Carnival and the Tulip Festival in Amsterdam, along with the film fest. Tourist season was starting as we were leaving, so Cannes perked up within the last month we were there. Storefronts that had always been shuttered opened up, and British and Italian tourists arrived. We got the full experience of leisurely everyday life there as a local in the winter, and got to see it liven up for the tourists in late spring.”
Academics Abroad
Studying abroad offers you the chance to experience a different academic culture and take unique classes that might not be available at your home university. Besides the location, one of Hannah’s favorite parts of university in Cannes was her teachers:
“I was at the Collège International de Cannes, and we both lived and studied there. It was a quaint campus right next to the sea. We loved being so close to the beach! The teachers were the best part, and I miss them dearly. They were funny, excellent at their jobs, and genuinely cared so much for their students.”
Hear one of Hannah’s favorite memories from her classes in France:
“One day for French theatre class, we went to the Université Côte d’Azur and performed a skit for film students there, who filmed it on a 360-degree camera. Then we sat in one of their classes and talked to them about why we were studying abroad in France and what it’s like living in America. Some of the French students invited us to the beach after class, so we got to practice our French and make some new French friends!”
Internship Experience
Hannah chose a Study + Internship program abroad, the perfect option for someone who wants to combine a study abroad program with a part-time internship. This unique option allows you to enjoy the classic study abroad experience while you bolster your resume and gain hands-on professional experience.
As a Creative Producing (BFA) major, interning at the Cannes Film Festival was an amazing opportunity to help launch her career. Listen to Hannah describe her part-time internship with a participating entertainment company:
“I learned about the sales and distribution side of the film industry by assisting the President of [the company] with scheduling meetings, research, reviewing projects, and other administrative tasks at the Cannes Film Market.
Our internship was only about ten days, but I typically would pick up the trades (Hollywood Reporter, Variety, and Screen) on my way to work, go through them for my boss, take pictures of the most important articles, keep track of his meeting schedule, and run miscellaneous errands. In my spare time, I also read a feature script and a treatment and gave notes on the projects for my boss.”
Hear Hannah describe how her internship experience and collaboration with her boss led to future opportunities:
“During my internship, I read one treatment and one feature script and gave my boss my notes on both projects. I talked about the projects’ strengths and weaknesses regarding character, plot, conflicts, and more. He appreciated my notes so much that he recommended me for the company’s summer internship. He put me in touch with the CEO’s assistant in LA, and I continued interning for them remotely, doing script coverage for them over the summer.”
Career Opportunities
Many students choose our Study + Internship program because the academic component allows you to build out your knowledge base while the part-time internship expands your career horizons and opens you up to opportunities. Below, Hannah explains how her internship in Cannes through AIFS Abroad unlocked additional opportunities:
“The company extended my internship through the summer, giving me a script coverage internship after I worked for them at the Cannes Film Market. My career goal is to become a film & TV development executive, which requires a lot of script coverage experience. The paid internships I’m applying to now are looking for script coverage experience that is already on my resume. So, it’s extra helpful that not only do I have an internship at the Cannes Film Market on my resume, which is impressive enough, [but] I also have an extra script coverage internship… [which] will help me achieve [my] goal.”
Making Friends Abroad
Whether you choose to study abroad with friends from home or set out on your own is totally up to you. While taking that first step isn’t always easy, remember that you will have plenty of opportunities to make friends when you go abroad, like Hannah:
“The AIFS students in Cannes bonded quickly and easily. We all lived and studied at the college together, so it wasn’t difficult to connect. My advice would be to talk to the other students in your program and in your classes and make plans to explore the city together!”
Housing
All AIFS Abroad programs include student housing. For study abroad and Study + Internship programs, options may include a homestay, student residence/dorm, and a shared apartment. Hannah chose to stay in a dorm and upgraded her accommodation, which she had all to herself:
“I upgraded to a double room with a private bathroom and AC, but no one else upgraded to a double, so I got it to myself, which I loved… If I ever had a problem with my room, I just told the front desk and they usually fixed it.”
Final Thoughts from Hannah
Studying or interning abroad is an experience that will remain with you for a lifetime. While there may be challenges like homesickness, as Hannah explains, the payoff is well worth it:
“Even in the thick of it when you may be missing home, remember that your time abroad is temporary. You’ll never be in that place again with the people you’re there with, with no responsibilities other than going to class. This once-in-a-lifetime experience is something to be cherished and taken full advantage of. I’m so grateful for the time I spent in France and want to go back ASAP!”
Are you a student ready to take the leap and study and intern abroad like Hannah did in Cannes with AIFS Abroad? We’d love to help you start your journey!
Here at AIFS Abroad, we know a thing or two about helping college students study and intern abroad. All our programs come with many beneficial inclusions, which takes a lot of the stress out of planning. From coordinating your housing to providing things like cultural and social activities, excursions, comprehensive insurance, 24/7 emergency support, on-site staff, and more, you’ll take comfort in knowing you’ll have support throughout your entire experience abroad.
