A Blog about Education Abroad

Tag: France

  • David in Strasbourg

    David in Strasbourg

    Here is David’s story.

    le début:

    In order to properly prepare for a voyage abroad, for whatever reason it is always recommended to put in the adequate preparation that one would need in order to have a successful trip. The mandatory things are obvious, book your ticket, organise your visa requirements (if you don’t have an EU passport, I fortunately do…), budget yourself adequately (!!) and finally orientate yourself with the city in which you will be visiting. I believe those aspects sum up the major part of the preparation everyone should do before going abroad, the more interesting and somewhat less direct aspects of your preparation however is up to you. Things that work for me and which I would recommend would be the following in regards to tips:

    Pack light: Try pack as light as you possibly can, optimally I would leave with my bag or suitcase 75% full because you always come back with more in terms of souvenirs and gifts you plan on bringing back home for friends and family.

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  • Roxine at Grenoble INP

    Pre-Departure:

    After a nerve wracking few weeks of waiting, the news came from Grenoble  that I had been accepted for the 2013 Summer School program, and the administrative process accompanying travel soon began.

    First on the agenda was to book flights, as this is a prerequisite before one is able to apply for a Visa. Fortunately, the trip to France warranted a slightly larger travel bursary from Stellenbosch University, and I was quickly able to find an Air France flight online.

    Appointments for Visa applications at the French Consulate need to be made well in advance, especially during the busy June/July season. Only being able to find a slot two weeks after I had called the consulate,  I applied for my Visa a mere ten days before my flight was due to depart. Trying to disguise nervousness, I arrived with all of my supporting documents (some of them printed in triplicate)- acceptance letters from Grenoble, proof of accommodation, travel insurance and flight details. Thanks to the notorious efficiency of the French, the process of Visa approval and delivery took no more than a week, which was a great relief.

    Roxine at Grenoble1 Roxine at Grenoble3 Roxine at Grenoble2

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  • Robyn in Strasbourg

    Pre-Departure:

    So, if you are reading this, you probably have already been accepted into the summer school program of your dreams, CONGRATS, the hardest part is over! Although, not really. Planning your stay and travels overseas is hard, but not impossible. You can even plan during the busiest time of the academic year, June exams. When I saw that I had been accepted to EM Strasbourg, I was over the moon, and then reality set in. The reality was that I had to plan my travels down to the last cent as I was on a VERY tight budget, and I had to do all this planning without the never-ending assistance parents supply when they are nearby AND during the run up to June exams. With all this in mind, I thought planning everything would be impossible. But as I said above, it really isn’t.

    The first thing I remember doing was chatting to the person I was to be traveling to Strasbourg with, Johan. We got together and discussed what both of us wanted out of the experience, if we wanted to travel before the summer school started or after or even during. Once we saw that we had the same idea for our travels, we booked our flights. I booked my flight with a travel agent, for me this was the best thing, they really look after you and make sure no mistakes are made. I would definitely recommend using a flight agency if it is your first time flying overseas alone.

    Johan (the best travel partner ever) and I
    Johan (the best travel partner ever) and I

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