Institute d`Etudes Politiques de Strasbourg (IEP) Contents

Oliver Peggram
Institute d’Etudes Politiques de Strasbourg (IEP)
Contents
Learning Log 1: Statement of Expectations 17/06/2010 ........................................................................ 2
Learning Log 2; Experiences in settling into the student’s new environment........................................ 4
Learning Log 3; Reflections about Host University ................................................................................. 6
Learning Log 4; Survey of the treatment of British news in the media in France ................................. 8
Learning Log 5: Reactions to the teaching of and approach taken
to the student's academic
disciplines at their host universities...................................................................................................... 10
Learning Log 6 - Reflection on the student's period abroad and what they have gained from it,
together with a guide for other students visiting the same institution ............................................... 12
Oliver Peggram
Learning Log 1: Statement of Expectations 17/06/2010
“Why would you choose to go on a year abroad?” This is the question one must answer and justify
before venturing on an ERASMUS year. My response is two-fold; firstly, it provides a student with an
excellent opportunity to perfect the chosen language. Having studied French for the first two years
of my degree, continuing my study in a French institution is the best way to complete this aim.
Coupling with this answer is my second response; that the year of European study is a great way to
experience a different culture and live a different way of life both academically and socially.
I will be studying Economics and Politics or ‘Science-Po et Science-Eco’ and one of the principal
reasons why Strasbourg was chosen as my host university is because the European Parliament is
located in the city. Through researching the university, students will have the opportunity to take an
internship in the European Parliament which will count as academic credit. In my opinion this is far
too good of an opportunity to miss especially if I am interested in a career in European or
international politics after university. Strasbourg is located in the Alsace-Lorraine region in France
which is full of history and culture – and has always been a contested region between the French
and Germans since 1890’s. Thus the culture and way of life will not be stereotypically French due to
the German influence in the city – I recently found that my accommodation is just 100 metres from
the German border!
I expect the year ahead to be a challenge, both academically and personally. I am prepared for
inherent differences in theories of contextual analysis, essay writing and structure to that we have in
England. However, I feel that I am well prepared for the year away; through planning French classes
over the summer to ensure that the standard of my French is at a very good level by the time of
arrival. Importantly I have received confirmation of my accommodation which I believe was vital to
sort out before arriving in Strasbourg meaning that I will not have the stress and difficulty of finding
my own accommodation in the city with thousands of other students doing the same thing.
This experience will be similar to what I did in the summer of 2009. I travelled to Bordeaux in the
South of France to learn French for the first time, in Bordeaux I lived with a typical French family
who spoke no English and who taught me many aspects of the different culture and about life in
France. After staying there for almost 8 weeks I lived and managed well with the differences in
Oliver Peggram
culture and way of life in France. However, I am prepared for differences between the South of
France and the North-East region of France.
I have set about researching the university and area itself by browsing the IEP website, particularly
its International and Academic Information pages. I have also researched by comparing experiences
of other international students through the ERASMUS website. Other useful sources of information
have been through travel guides just to get to know what the region holds for people who have
never visited.
In conclusion, I hope to find this year exciting and challenging through academia and personal life, I
am sure that I will learn a lot about myself over the whole year. I hope to make the most of this
once-in-a-lifetime opportunity which will certainly aid my personal development.
Oliver Peggram
Learning Log 2; Experiences in settling into the student’s new
environment
It is fair to say that my experiences have been mixed after the first term at Strasbourg. In this
learning log I will look at 2 main criteria, educational and social aspects of life in Alsace.
‘Science-Po’ at Strasbourg University is considered the 2nd best institution for political science in
France; despite this, English students and I have found that the education system can be a times
unreliable. Unlike Exeter, students are badly informed and are left trying to find things out
themselves. For example, lectures are quite often cancelled at last minute for no apparent reason
and it is completely normal for the lecturer to arrive 20 minutes late! The mentality of students is
another point of interest. The students at the IEP take classes in economics, law and politics, all with
an equal weighting. In my opinion the education they receive is second to none; when they graduate
they will be more than capable in three of the most important subjects. Through this we can see that
university life here is based solely around the academic side, I get the impression students do not
enjoy being students because of this. Because the universities in France are generally public – paid
for by the state – they do not offer many services, if we take Exeter for example, there is an entire
department dedicated to future ‘employability’. What surprised me was the lack of social/sport
clubs on offer to students, there is no ‘Fresher’s week’ where students can sign up for the ‘Chocolate
Society’ if that interests them.
It is important not to exclude the ‘grèves’ or the strikes! In October the French government voted to
raise the age of retirement from 60 to 62, and since then public sector workers go on strike one a
week every week. Despite these strikes the university has not been affected, there are cases in
France where lecturers go on strike and there are no classes.
Despite these differences I have noticed with the education and student life in France, I am enjoying
being here. The classes are very interesting and relevant to my course; the French seem to prefer to
teach about the ‘real world’ what I mean here is that there aren’t as many lectures about theories.
That is one critique I have of Exeter, I understand theory is the base of politics but it’s not
intellectually stimulating and at times that relevant to world politics. This semester I have had two
excellent professors, the quality of teaching cannot be faulted at this institution.
As the Erasmus community is so large in Strasbourg, there are a number of organisations (not run by
the university) to help you settle in. I have been very impressed with the ‘Jeunes Ambassadeurs
d’Alsace’ organisation which I joined. Through this students have the opportunity to visit places
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around the region of Alsace, for example we visited the Heineken brewery and each student has
been assigned a ‘godmother/father’ who is normally an important figure in society to help you settle
in. My ‘godmother’ has offered me the chance to take an internship with her which will be very
useful. I would highly recommend this to future students as it was easy and free to join.
In part one of my learning log, I expected that there would be differences between essay writing
techniques. All foreign students are required to take a module in French essay writing, which is very
helpful as the style is very different to that of the English; to write a good essay in France one must
follow a rigorous structure. I also expected that Strasbourg would be influences by Germany but
despite the German architecture and names of towns there are in fact very few German people
living in Strasbourg. I am also glad that I had sorted my accommodation before I arrived, university
halls Paul Appell which are very basic but it was the hassle free choice.
In terms of my personal development, my French is coming on very well; I’m pleased with my
progress. I am a firm believer that ‘what you put in is what you get out’ and that is definitely the case
here.
Oliver Peggram
Learning Log 3; Reflections about Host University
In this third section of the Learning Log, we will be looking at my reflections about the ‘Institute
d’Etudes Politiques de Strasbourg’ (IEP). I will be making many comparisons to Exeter as there are
some inherent differences between the teaching style, subjects and work load.
I will start by looking at the characteristics of the IEP and it is important to realise that this university
is very different to Exeter. On arrival I noticed that it is a very small ‘school’ with only 750 students in
total. I soon learnt that there are 8 other IEP institutions in France and Strasbourg is considered to
be the second best behind Paris IEP. It is very different from the College of Social Sciences because
students from the IEP are obliged not to take classes outside the school, in Exeter one can take up to
30 credits (a quarter of our degree) from another school/college.
In terms of student life, there is the BDS (Bureau des Etudiants) which organises and runs sports and
music clubs and also events just for the IEP. There is a BDS for each school in Strasbourg and they are
not linked – in Exeter we have the Student’s Guild which is responsible for the entire university, not
just the Business school for example. Similar to the College of Social Sciences and the Business
School there is a cafeteria a PC room and a library.
I will now be looking at the academic life at Strasbourg IEP and the first point to remark is that other
Erasmus students (ranging from Brazil to Australia) have found the academic life very different to
our home institutions; this makes me think that maybe the French are unique in their style of
teaching and through reading I believe it is similar in Belgium universities too.
Firstly, lectures have very little visual representation, there are very few PowerPoint presentations
and lectures tend to be more dictation orientated. This is very hard for students who are new to the
French language – for myself I have found it easier as time progresses. Despite the school-like nature
of dictation I have found that it has improved my French!
Secondly, despite there being an online site called Moodle (like myexeter online learning) very few
professors actually put their notes up for everyone to see! This means that lecture notes can be very
valuable and it is worth having some French friends! Unlike Exeter, if you miss a class, you will be
behind because in Exeter professors put their slides/notes online making it possible to study your
degree from Africa if needs be!
The third important reflection is the work load. First year students take up to 35 hours of class per
week (in my first year I took 18 hours a week). They are expected sometimes to take four 2 hours
Oliver Peggram
classes in a row without a break for more than 5 minutes. However, English students have noticed
that they do not have such as extensive reading lists as we do back at home.
My fourth point is that in the IEP we take seminars similar to those in Exeter but in Exeter we are
encouraged to form a debate and argue, sometimes lasting the entire class. However in France we
do not, it tends to be the teacher teaching and the students listening. In my opinion I prefer the
English way as arguing and forming debates is invaluable practice for future work whether it being in
politics or business.
Another very important point is the difference in subject matters. As we are Erasmus student we get
the luxury to choose between 1st, 2nd and 4th year modules – meaning we get a vast choice. I found
a few modules which we fascinating, the structure of the module being far more interesting to that
in Exeter. For example I took a ‘HRI’ which is an in-depth overview of international relations since
1945, where we look at all the major conflicts that has occurred since then such as, Vietnam,
Indonesia, Bosnia… the list is endless. Other Exeter student and I noticed that the structure of
modules in Exeter seems to be an in-depth analysis of a very specific area.
My final point is the link between the IEP and the European Parliament. Just last week 2nd year
students and Erasmus students had to take ‘La Semaine Européenne’ which is a week of debating
amongst each other in the Parliament. It was a fascinating experience and just to be inside the
Parliament was unforgettable.
To conclude, the experience of studying in Strasbourg has been a positive one, the IEP is a great
place to study and I really recommend it. There are many differences in terms of teaching and in my
opinion the perfect situation would be a mixture of the English and the French ways of teaching and
programme structure would make for a better university experience.
This is exactly the reason why you take an Erasmus year – to gain new experiences and learn about
a different academic or social culture.
Oliver Peggram
Learning Log 4; Survey of the treatment of British news in the media
in France
In this part of the learning log I will be looking at how British news is covered in France. I will also be
analysing the viewpoint of the articles compared with the British to help me understand what the
French people think of Britain and her inhabitants. The first important point to note is that there is
not a lot of coverage of British news in France, the main newspapers like Le Monde, and Le Figaro
(two of the main newspapers in France) tend to focus mainly on news further abroad. I have found
that British news is covered more through radio shows and television, for example on France Inter
radio station and on France 2 television station which has a daily roundup of British, Spanish,
German and Italian news. However, the main similarity between all the types of media was the
highly publicised and maybe even controversial increase in university tuition fees.
On the 9th December 2010 the coalition Government of Britain passed a law allowing the increase of
tuition fees to a maximum of £9,000 per academic year 1. This news was widely covered across the
majority of newspapers in France (and indeed Europe) as too were the subsequent riots. The general
French reaction was that they were surprised at how expensive it will be to study in the UK and it is
not in our nature to riot. In France (and Belgium) the large majority do not pay fees to study at
university – they are all public so when students heard that they would have to pay the best part of
€10,000 per year to study in the UK they were shocked. Talk shows and Newspapers, such as
L’Express and even Le Soir in Belgium commented on the future discrimination of poorer individuals
trying to study in the UK, they concluded that university education in the UK was becoming more
and more ‘bourgeoise’ or middle class 2. The British government passed this law only a couple of
weeks after the French went on strike and rioted - ‘les grèves’ - because Mr. Sarkozy the President of
the Fifth French Republic raised the retirement age from 60 to 62 years old 3. The riots were
shocking and public transport went on strike for months. These riots were summed up in the
Telegraph with the headline reading ‘France is on fire!’ with a picture of a burning vehicle in Paris 4.
If we put this into comparison, in Britain the retirement age will be 67 in 2020 (65 at the moment).
The general feeling is that the French do not understand how Britain can put up with it! A number of
us joked by saying what would happen if Mr. Sarkozy put university fees at €10,000 – the general
conclusion was that the country would collapse, joking aside, this would be probably true.
1
The Times ‘The Increase in Tuition Fees and what does it mean?’
L’Express ‘Royaume-Uni : manifestation des étudiants contre l'augmentation des frais de scolarité.’
3
Le Parisien ; ‘Retraites : 54% des Français favorables à une grève générale’
2
4
The Telegraph, ‘France in on Fire!’
Oliver Peggram
By looking at various newspapers and listening to radio talk shows (one of the most prominent being
regional France Inter d’Alsace) it is easy to recognise a general feeling towards Britain. There is a
huge amount of hostility towards Britain with respect to the European Union. This has been
portrayed through Britain not giving the right of vote to prisoners – a violation of European Human
Rights. This is a highly talked about issue here in Strasbourg with the European Parliament and the
European Court for Human Rights. The general feeling of the British is not just ‘Eurosceptic’ but
taking the European Union for granted and is making it bow to British wants through the opt-out
clause. This is story is currently hotly debated in England with the headline of the front page of The
Daily Express reading; ‘Britain to leave the EU? A vote will take place on 5th May’.
We can see even through this small summary that the French media’s coverage of British news and
culture provides an interesting glimpse into France’s and Europe’s feeling of the country especially
through the university fees increase and the British problem with the European Union.
Oliver Peggram
Learning Log 5: Reactions to the teaching of and approach taken
to the student's academic disciplines at their host universities.
Before I went on the year abroad I expected the teaching methods to differ between England and
France, however I was still surprised at how different they actually were. In this learning log I will be
making a brief comparison of the teaching approaches between Exeter and the IEP (Institute
d’Etudes Politiques) at Strasbourg, I will be evaluating both the positive and negative aspects of
both. Then I will be looking at the similarities and differences in researching such as reading lists and
what texts we are supposed to study in each country. I will also be making a third country
comparison, explaining the similarities with our system in the UK and the French system. Finally I will
be describing how my opinion to the French method of teaching changed as the year progressed,
after the initial shock of entering the system!
Before I start it is important to note that studying ‘science-politiques’ in France is not the same as
studying politics in the UK. In France it is considered very prestigious and only 9 institutions offer the
course, the teaching methods are very different than studying history at a French university for
example. I will start by making a comparison between the teaching methods of both Exeter
University and the IEP. The first important remark has to be the difference in teaching style between
the 1st, 2nd and 4th year classes (3rd year at the IEP is spent abroad). The international students and
I found that first year classes were more dictation based, where the student spent two hours noting
exactly what the teacher said. Whilst second and forth years seemed to be more open and more of
an Anglo-Saxon method of teaching – where one takes general notes of the class and there is some
student interaction. In Exeter we have tutorials similar to those in France known as ‘conférences de
méthodes’ however, in Exeter these classes are largely dominated by a debate given by the teacher
but between students, with the teacher being the mediator. In France these tutorials very rarely
ended in a debate, if so it was always between the student and the teacher. This is again a problem
of the IEP, in England students are about to develop their debating and public speaking through
these classes, in France I would say that it is harder to do so.
Another important difference is that of technology; PowerPoint is scarcely used in the IEP, unlike
Exeter where it is used for every class! At the IEP chalk boards were far more common than a
modern white board let alone an overhead projector! I found this a very backward way of teaching,
for the second best institute for politics in France it was not very impressive. Strasbourg did use an
online learning program called ‘moodle’, but this wasn’t used very much by the professors – largely
because they gave their classes orally with no use of PowerPoint. This is inherently different to
Exeter, where every room comes equipped with projectors and our myexeter with its ELE will have
Oliver Peggram
every lecture given by our professors. Unfortunately this lack of technology was a large negative
aspect of the IEP.
There were also many differences and similarities between research methods and indicative reading
lists. In my opinion, research methods are very different in France and England, in France we were
hardly given reading lists – if so they were not compulsory to read which is not the case in England as
one would not be able to succeed in an exam without having read the reading list. Despite this
difference, there was a similarity between the core texts, for example whilst studying macro and
microeconomics we needed to consult Olivier Blanchard – but maybe this would have been different
if he was not French!
It is also important to make a third country comparison, here I will continue with the European
theme and by talking to Spanish Erasmus students with me in Strasbourg. They informed me that
teaching methods in Spain are more similar to French methods, for example dictation was used and
sometimes there was a lack of technology in the lecture/tutorial rooms. On the contrary, Swedish
students seemed to share my difficulty in adjusting to French education, they said that Swedish
universities were more like those in the UK, similar teaching style and a high tech campus.
My final paragraph will be describing how my attitude to the French method of teaching changed as
the year progressed. At the start, it was a shock, to be plunged back into dictation which I had
stopped when I was 11 years old. However as time passed I began to get used to dictation and not
always having PowerPoint – it was also quite nice not to have a long compulsory reading list. Despite
getting used to French education I will be more than happy to return back to Exeter and experience
the Anglo-Saxon method of teaching.
Oliver Peggram
Learning Log 6 - Reflection on the student's period abroad and what
they have gained from it, together with a guide for other students
visiting the same institution
Learning Log October 2011: Reflection on the student's period abroad and what they have gained
from it, together with a guide for other students visiting the same institution.
La vie Erasmus à Strasbourg: A comprehensive guide for
living in Strasbourg écrit par Oliver Peggram
1). Strasbourg the city p.2
i)
About the Capital of Europe
2). The University of Strasbourg p.4
i)
ii)
iii)
iv)
v)
Arriving at the IEP
Lectures
Exams
Libraries
Activities outside the IEP
3). French Bureaucracy p.7
i)
ii)
iii)
iv)
v)
vi)
Before you depart
Bank account
Discount cards
Housing benefits and Erasmus grant
Health and insurance
Mobiles
4). Accommodation p.11
i)
Private or halls?
5). Sports Facilities p.14
6). Transport p.16
i)
ii)
Getting to Strasbourg
Internal travel around the city
7). Places to eat p.17
8). What to do in Strasbourg? p.18
9). Tourism p.19
10). Map p.21-22
11). Personal Reflections p.23
i)
ii)
iii)
Positive and Negatives
Experience of other Erasmus students
Overall conclusion, what have I gained from this experience?
1
1. Strasbourg the city
i)
About the Capital of Europe
Strasbourg is a beautiful city situated in the heart of the historic region of Alsace and is home to nearly 800,000
people.
The city is located on the Rhine River, only 2km from the German border and has the largest port in Europe making it
an economic hub of Eastern France. Not only is there an economic influence in the area there is a political one too.
The city is home to the European Parliament, the European Court of Human Rights and the Council of Europe making
Strasbourg the perfect place for a politics student!
The history of Strasbourg is very interesting, the last 200 years has seen the city switch between French and German
administration. So when visiting the city, do not be surprised to find that most of the street and town names are
German! The region Alsace has its own language, Alsatian, a mixture between German and French which would be
commonly used in rural areas amongst the older population.
2
The German and French influences have given Strasbourg a unique culture in the form of museums, theatres, opera
houses and art expositions. As well as being a city of culture, Strasbourg is influenced by its 60,000 students and the
number of foreign students is almost 1 in 5 – so student life is very exciting with many activities on offer.
The architecture of Strasbourg is beautiful; the entire city centre is a world heritage site. The 13th century cathedral
can be seen from kilometres away and signifies the centre of the city. However the most picturesque are of
Strasbourg is ‘Petite France’ with the canal passing through the middle of the area.
3
2. The University of Strasbourg
Recently all the faculties and institutes joined
together creating the University of Strasbourg,
but they still are relatively independent. All
faculties are found on the central campus to the
east of the city – only a 15minute walk from the
city centre. The campus is connected through
public transport and Strasbourg boasts that it
has the best over ground tram service in France.
The ‘Institute d’études politiques’, or more commonly known as the IEP is smaller than the rest of the
faculties, it is also highly selective and it is considered a very prestigious place to study. There are only
9 IEPs in France and Strasbourg is considered as the second best, therefore the students are some of
the best and brightest in France. The IEP has a student base only of around 800 including Erasmus and
postgraduates students.
i)
Arriving at the IEP
Before the start of the academic year a free language course was offered to all incoming Erasmus students. This
lasted two weeks and it was a fantastic opportunity to meet other Erasmus students. I would highly recommend
taking this course because in between the French classes the Erasmus committee of the IEP ran many events helping
us to discover Strasbourg and even taking wine tasting trips in the Vosges (the mountains near Strasbourg)1 2.
My first impression of the IEP was that it was a little like the Amory building at Exeter, it is relatively small with only 3
large lecture theatres. It was a friendly atmosphere with a small cafeteria and a small library for studying. What
shocked me the most was that most classrooms still used chalk boards and technology seemed to be limited in some
areas.
The IEP offers Erasmus students the opportunity to gain the CEPE, ‘Certificat d’études politiques Européennes’ which
is a diploma given if you are successful. This is not compulsory but I would highly recommend it even if your French is
not excellent. The student has to take 60ECTS credits (instead of 40) and this roughly works out to be about 15
modules, 2-4 more than you would take normally. As part of the CEPE the student has to complete the ‘Semaine
Européenne’, which is a week spent in the European Parliament debating amongst other 2nd year IEP students.
During this week you are split into groups, usually a mixture of Erasmus and French students and each group is given
a topic to present and then debate in one of the amphitheatres of the Parliament. This week is very interesting and
also very social as you interact closely with other IEP students.
1
2
http://www-iep.u-strasbg.fr/
For IEP see map, point 1.
4
ii)
Lectures
Lectures are always 2 hours long and sometimes you should expect not to have a break, which was sometimes quite
difficult. For an Erasmus student taking the CEPE one expects between 15-20 hours of class a week. As well as
lectures the IEP offers students a more tutorial-like class called ‘conférences des méthodes’ but Erasmus students
should expect these to be harder than regular lectures and they are marked independently through presentations,
essays and separate exams. The IEP offers a wide range of classes, from core 1st year modules like Macroeconomics
or Introduction to Law to specific 4th year modules such as, The Rise and fall of the British Commonwealth. If you
choose a first year core module be prepared to write down everything the professor says – yes, dictation! It is helpful
to find a nerdy French friend with a laptop who has taken excellent notes to prepare for the exam. There is also the
possibility to take modules in English (or even German or Spanish), for example I took a course called ‘Northern
Ireland from Partition to Devolution’ and it was very interesting. The IEP is a great opportunity to take classes in law,
economics or history for the first time as Erasmus students are allowed to choose across all year groups.
One difference to Exeter was the unreliability of lecturers. There is an online system similar to myexeter, called
‘moodle’ but it is rarely used and students must check note boards to see whether their classes have been cancelled
or rescheduled. Lecturers do not put their lecture slides/notes up on ‘moodle’ like we are so used to in Exeter with
the ELE, so be prepared to take decent notes! Lectures often started at 8am and could finish at 8pm, and it is
possible to have 8 hours of class in row in the same room which can be quite tough.
iii)
Exams
The exams are held at the end of semesters so either before Christmas or in January, and then the final exams are
held in May. If you have to retake an exam you would have to return to the IEP in August. Many of the exams are
oral exams, where you are asked to present a question/topic given in front of the teachers, it does seem scary but
after a year in France you would be amazed at how much your language skills have improved. Some teachers tend to
be slightly more generous with Erasmus students too with is a benefit! At the end of the year, around July, you will
receive your marks and the grade boundaries are as follows;




10/20 admis (pass)
12/20 admis avec la mention assez bien (good pass)
14/20 admis avec la mention bien (excellent pass)
16/20 admis avec la mention très bien (pass with distinction)
Most Erasmus students tend to get between 10 and 13 and few get 14 and above, typically Exeter awards a first class
degree to those who achieve 13.5 or above. For example nobody in our promotion achieved a ‘moyenne générale’
of 16/20 or above.
iv)
Libraries
The University of Strasbourg has many libraries and you are able to borrow books there with you student card.
However, the largest library is the BNU (Bibliothèque Nationale Universitaire) and you will have to register for a
special library card there. It is necessary to search books in a computerised catalogue and once you order a book,
you can collect it 45 minutes after at one of the desks. I believe that the Exeter University’s main library is not only
more efficient but also has much more up to date books to offer3 4.
3
http://www.bnu.fr/
5
v)
Activities outside IEP
One thing that you must make the most of is an organisation called the ‘Jeunes Ambassadeurs’. This was probably
the best thing I did whilst I stayed in Strasbourg. At the start of term you are given the chance to join this group, and
you do so by telling your Erasmus coordinator at the IEP. It is completely free and there are events all through the
year. It was a fantastic way to meet people – normally other international students from different faculties – and you
are given a ‘parrain(e)’ which means godfather or godmother and they will be people from Strasbourg who own
businesses and are generally quite high up in society. My ‘parraine’ was the owner of an estate agency and
relocations company – we met up for lunch several times over the year and she offered me a small internship at her
office.
The events run by the Jeunes Ambassadeurs were all excellent; they were
often cultural visits and tours – a great way to discover Alsace with
minimum effort, these events were also free to take part in. Events were
scheduled approximately 2 times a month and we visited the Heineken
brewery (with a free degustation – tasting!), a chocolate factory, the
European Parliament where we actually met and asked questions to the
President and visited various museums and theatres. Overall it was a
fantastic experience one which must not be missed5. The picture below
shows the final event of Jeunes Ambassadeaurs with all three Exeter
Erasmus students in Strasbourg.
4
5
The BNU is located at Place de la république
https://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=163132277228&ref=ts
6
3. French Bureaucracy
Yes, French bureaucracy has the reputation to be bad, but you will soon discover how true this accusation actually is!
Having said that, the university services will give you all the necessary instructions and you just need to follow them.
The IEP will provide you with a book called ‘Ulysse’ which is a very useful text indeed. All the information about the
bureaucratic procedures is written here and easy to follow maps are also included.
i)
Before you depart
Before you depart make sure that you have at least 15 passport photos, it’s amazing how easily you go through them
(even some lecturers ask for them when signing on for their course). Obviously you can get them in France too, but I
used many in my first few days. If you are moving into university accommodation make sure you take all the relevant
documents, as there’s nothing worse than trying to explain to someone that you live there and they have no record
of you in French on your first day in France! Make sure you have a valid European health card ready to take with you
(see health section for more detail). Other useful things to remember;




ii)
Photocopies of Passport (at least 3)
Photocopies of your birth certificate (at least 3)
Photocopies of your health insurance card
A doctors’ certificate that says you are fit and healthy to play sport (even in English) see sport section for
more detail.
Bank account
If you’re studying at the IEP then you’re in luck! If you sign with BNP Paribas they will send you €45 once you show
them your ‘certificat de scolarité’ or proof of being a student6.
Setting up the account was easy, just remember that banks (like
most services/shops) close for lunch and I would advise going
early to avoid the queues. The bank is situated very close to the
central campus, see the map, it is labelled. It is necessary to
open a French bank account if you wish to receive housing
benefits (see the housing section for more info) and by using a
British card you will occur charges in France. Normally, French
accounts charge the user a few Euros per month, but I know that
BNP Paribas doesn’t charge students for the first 2 years. With
French bank accounts the money isn’t directly taken from the
account at the moment of purchase, sometimes it can take 2
weeks, so be careful it is very easy to go in debt without you
knowing and the interest costs a fortune.
6
For BNP Paribas see point 3 on map
7
iii)
Discount cards
When you go to collect your student card at the Agora centre (see map)
you will have the option of purchasing a culture card ‘carte culture’ for
about €10 and this will allow you to enter most museums free and you will
receive discounts at the cinema and theatre for example7.
Your student card is a necessity, just as it is in Exeter, you are able to enter libraries
and the campus sports centre, it can also be charged with money allowing you to
print off work, eat at student restaurants or do your laundry.
Another important card to buy is the 12-25 SNCF card, this costs €50 and will give
you significant reductions (a third for most journeys) on trains all around France, and
it is very similar to our railcard in the UK. I saved myself a fortune by purchasing this
card as you use the trains very often.
7
For Agora see map, point 6
8
iv)
Housing Allowance
You will need to go to the Agora building which is the students’ centre on campus where you can find assistance on
what you will need to do bureaucratically. During the first two weeks of the year you will find friendly students
(many of whom speak English) who can help you if you are not sure about something.
Even as an exchange student in France, you are eligible to receive housing
allowance called the ‘Caisses d’Allocations Familiales’ or more commonly known
as the CAF. The amount that you receive depends simply on how much you are
paying per month, and this normally is about a third of you rent! If you live in
halls of resident, this money will be directly taken off you rent so you will never
actually see this money but is does mean that you receive very cheap
accommodation! During the first week there are people who will help you fill
out all the necessary forms and give you information at the Agora centre. I
would advise going to see them because if not you will have to go to the
Benefits office and wait for a long time8 9.
i)
Erasmus grant
You may have heard a lot about the elusive Erasmus grant, and here I will give you some more detailed information.
The European Union has a sum of money that they wish to share out amongst European students taking an Erasmus
placement (working or studying) and this sum is divided between EU countries who will then allocated the grant to
its students. Countries like Germany have many more students taking Erasmus than Britain so the amount German
Erasmus students would receive is less that of British Erasmus, so the fewer Erasmus students there are the more
money you get.
Over the course of your year you will receive 2 Erasmus grants that can be paid into a French or English account
(beware of exchange rates if getting it transferred into a British account). Your first payment will likely come through
towards Christmas time, ours was sent in early December and it was around €2,000. Unfortunately you are not given
much warning about it and it will suddenly arrive (which isn’t a bad thing!). Other countries get their grants at
different times so don’t be surprised if your German friend received his a month before you. The second Erasmus
grant is even more elusive, you will only find out if you will get one toward the end of the year – I received about
€1,500 at the end of May, after I had finished my studies at Strasbourg! In terms of bureaucracy Exeter University is
very good at keeping you informed and telling you how to receive your payment. Spend it wisely!
ii)
Health and insurance
As I mentioned earlier a European Health Insurance Card is needed before you leave for France, you can get one
from the Department of Health for free. If you have health problems whilst you are in Strasbourg you will need to go
to either the Students’ Health Centre SUMPS10, situated next to the Agora building or go straight to a clinic and ask
to see a doctor. You may be charged for your medicine or appointment but you can claim this back, just remember
to keep all your receipts. To claim your reimbursement you will have to send your bank account details, a photocopy
8
For CAF centre, see point 16 on map
For information on housing allowances: http://www.caf.fr/wps/portal/particuliers/catalogue/metropole/al
10
http://sumps.unistra.fr/html/index.php
9
9
of your student card, ID card, health insurance card and a doctor’s report to ‘Caisse Primaire d’Assurance Maladie’
CPAM. You may prefer to go there in person just to be sure that all your documents are correct11 12.
The MGEL is your insurance and gives you a social security number for France, to obtain it you have to go to the
MGEL centre which your ‘certificat de scolarité’ and your tenancy agreement and they will direct you from there. It is
necessary to register with them as you will need to proof that you have insurance for your room. The entire cost is
no more than €30 for the entire year13 14.
iii)
Mobile Phones
You must make the choice between a contract and a pay as you go, the prices between the two don’t really differ
significantly but having a contract can be less beneficial if you go home for holidays and there is more hassle when
having to cancel the contract at the end of the year. I went with Virgin pay-as-you-go as I know from experience
Orange is very expensive. Mobile phone usage in France is much more expensive than in the UK. If you choose pay as
you go you’ll have to buy a sim card for €30 in a shop then you can top up. I usually spent around €25 per month on
my phone.
Note: French credit runs out if it is not used within a certain number of days, normally quite a short period, like 3
weeks, but the more you top up the longer your credit lasts.
11
http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcareabroad/EHIC/Pages/Introduction.aspx
For a walk in centre, see point 8 on map
13
http://www.mgel.fr/logement/partenaires.php?id_villes=S
14
For MGEL centre, see point 4 on map
12
10
4. Accommodation
i)
Private or halls?
I decided that I would go back into halls for my Erasmus year just to save some trouble having to find a place to stay.
For simplicity I highly recommend it, you will be sent by the Erasmus coordinator at Strasbourg an email asking
whether you wish to stay in university halls. Make sure you reply to this email as soon as possible as spaces are
limited. There are three main university halls in Strasbourg, Gallia, Paul Appell and Robertsau all of which are
different. Please see the map for locations, but generally, Gallia is two tram stops away from the IEP, Paul Appell is
closest to the central campus but a 15 minute walk from the IEP and finally Robertsau is the furthest away located
near the European Parliament (15 minute cycle).
I stayed in Paul Appell which was great for convenience as it was fairly close to the city centre, shopping centres and
closest to campus15. This is one of the largest halls of residence with 6 buildings, a tennis court, a laundrette and a
small football pitch. There is also a student restaurant at Paul Appell and a grassy area between the buildings which
is a nice area to socialise or lie in the sun in the summer! The rooms in Paul Appell vary in size, and it can be very
much down to luck what size room you are in. All rooms have access to internet which only costs €10 per month and
students can choose between a standard room with shared bathrooms and showers or an en-suite room with a small
private bathroom and shower. Standard rooms cost €155 per month and en-suite rooms cost around €215 per
month – each price excludes the CAF. Rent is usually paid monthly either by cash or credit card and it is possible to
set up a direct debit. The laundrette facilities cost on average €15 for a large wash and drying and your student card
must be used to access the machines. There is a communal kitchen on every floor, however, this is one criticism I
have of the accommodation. The kitchen was equipped with only 4 hot rings for one entire floor and that was it,
sometimes the kitchens were so busy you couldn’t cook your food and other times they were closed due to
messiness. So if you stay in a halls of residence be aware that the kitchens are poorly equipped and often in a poor
condition. There is a curfew from 11pm and there are always at least 2 porters who will happily tell people off if they
are making too much noise if needs be16.
Gallia is a historical building situated right in the city centre and its residents are always grateful for its location as
nowhere seems to be far from there. Unfortunately the reception at Gallia makes life very difficult as the
receptionists check all incoming visitors and forbids them to enter the building after 11pm17 18.
Robertsau is much further away from the city centre, despite it being more modern and cheaper than Paul Appell its
distance from the IEP makes it impractical19 20. Of the students I knew in Robertsau, most of them were jealous of
the accommodation in Gallia and Paul Appell because of their location and cleanliness.
If you do not wish to live in halls then there are many great apartment buildings in Strasbourg and even places in the
city centre. It is worth looking for a flat well in advance, the earlier the better because the prices are very
competitive. I would advise you to share at flat with French students as they can help you improve your language
15
http://crous-strasbourg.fr/logement/cite-universitaire-paul-appell.html
For Paul Appell, see point 2 on map
17
For Gallia residence and restaurant, see point 10 on map
18
http://crous-strasbourg.fr/logement/residence-la-gallia.html
19
RobertSau is located near point 13 on map
20
http://crous-strasbourg.fr/logement/cite-universitaire-robertsau.html
16
11
skills and also help you with bureaucratic problems which are likely to arise. If you do wish to live in an apartment be
aware that after 10pm your neighbours will the police if you are having a party or making too much noise21 22.
Paul Appell
La Gallia
21
22
http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Institut_d'%C3%A9tudes_politiques
http://crous-strasbourg.fr/logement/
12
Résidence de la Robertsau
13
5. Sports Facilities
The sports facilities available in Strasbourg are generally very good. Students only need to pay €15 to get access to at
most 5 different sporting activities a week which normally last for 2 hours. These activities are very diverse and can
be gym sessions, yoga, stretching or 6 a side football or even boxing. The sessions are run by experienced trainers so
you know that you’re in good hands. This scheme is excellent for trying new sports that you otherwise may not get
to try, for example I took some classes in ballroom dancing! For gym goers, there is a gym in the sports centre, it is
well equipped but with older machines; to register you will have to pay €30 extra and take a small test showing that
you are able to use the equipment safely, then you are able to use the gym whenever you like. All the registration is
done online through the moodle platform which I have already mentioned23.
For those wishing to play sport for the university you will sign up in the same way, take part in a session and then
you may be selected, but it is worth noting that competition is very high with 60,000 students!
During the winter season there is the possibility of skiing in the Vosges, the mountainous region around Strasbourg.
For €45 students were able to spend a whole day skiing with all costs paid for, a fantastic opportunity and a great
way to make the most out of those cold winter days!
The IEP also provides many sporting activities which are easier to join and play against other faculties or clubs in the
region. They offer sports such as football, handball, rugby, tennis, volleyball and several others. I was lucky enough
to play in the football team and I found it an excellent way to integrate with French students and improve my French
skills. I would highly recommend playing a sport at the IEP for those reasons. Another advantage is the famous
‘Criterium’ which is a competition between all the science-po institutions in France for all sports over one single
weekend24. Out of the 800 at the IEP normally 250 would attend, it is one of the most exciting and important events
of the IEP calendar and should not be missed! It happens once a year and is hosted by a different institution each
year, for example I went to Paris and next year it is at Aix-en-Provence. It’s a great experience not only for the
sportsmen but also the supporters as you meet hundreds of new people and have a great time partying for a
weekend! Unfortunately Strasbourg have never won the competition, however, this year we finished 8th out of 9
which was an achievement itself!
Ready for our first football match against Lyon the overall winners.
The Strasbourg IEP hasn’t won a game in the Crit for 3 years…
23
24
For the central campus sports centre see point 5 on map
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Institut_d'%C3%A9tudes_politiques
14
Before our 8 hour bus journey to Paris… at 2am
The final party, 4,000 students from 9 different IEPs
celebrating in a stadium.
15
6. Transport
i)
Getting to Strasbourg
Strasbourg does have an airport; however it is now only used internally so if you were flying from the UK to
Strasbourg you would have to fly to Basel or Baden-Baden both of which are about a 1h30 train journey away. If you
do not wish to fly the train links to Strasbourg are very good, you can take the Eurostar to Paris and then change
train to go to Strasbourg – later this year the TGV is reaching Strasbourg which will further improve the efficiency of
these links25 26.
ii)
Internal travel around the city
Strasbourg boasts about having the best tram system in France, this is true, the connections are excellent and the
trams are both fast and modern. The only problem with them is that they do not run between 1am and 5am which
can make it difficult for those who enjoy their nightlife. The buses are also very good and they run throughout the
night. A tram/bus ticket is €1.40 one way and €2.40 return, but they offer good deals if you are in groups and 24
hour unlimited travel tickets for a reasonable price. If you would be using the tram often it would be beneficial to
buy a student pass called a ‘Badégo’, these are available at the tram offices where you will need to provide them
with a student card a passport photo and an ID card. Please follow the link for more details27 28.
Despite the excellent tram network the best form of transport is the bike, it is not only environmentally friendly but
also very cheap too! A bike will become your best friend in Strasbourg as it is flat and there are fantastic cycle lanes
and routes throughout the city. Bikes are very easy to come across; there are countless bike dealers and even second
hand bike sales on campus. If you do not wish to buy a bike you can rent one for €20 a month or €120 a year from a
company called ‘Velop’, these bikes come with the essentials such as a lock, basket and even free servicing29. The
downside is that you have to leave a €150 cash/cheque deposit which can be reclaimed once the bike is returned. If
you do decide to buy a bike make sure you buy a cheap one with a decent lock, in Strasbourg it is seen as a game to
steal bikes so you must pay extra attention – you will soon notice all the bike cadavers laying around the place, some
still with their locks on. A decent second hand bike should cost you no more than €6030.
25
http://www.sncf.com/
For train station, see point 12 on map
27
http://www.cts-strasbourg.fr/Default.aspx
28
http://www.cts-strasbourg.fr/Tarifs/Abonnements/Mensuels/1925ans/tabid/604/language/fr-FR/Default.aspx
29
For Velop shop, see point 15 on map
30
http://www.velhop.strasbourg.eu/
26
16
7. Places to eat
i)
University cafeterias
There are several places to eat cheaply for students provided by the CROUS which is the university organisation. The
three main places are Paul Appell, Gallia and the restaurant on central campus, please see map. You can get a
substantial meal for a very small price, Paul Appell and the central campus restaurant cost €3 per person and Gallia
cost €6 because the food was generally much nicer and you could take larger portions. You can only pay for these
meals through your student card and you are allowed to pay for other people if you have guests. There are many
points all over campus where you can recharge your card, so you will never have to go too far to find them31.
ii)
Typical Alsatian food
A typical Alsatian meal is a ‘choucroutte’ which is a selection of meats (generally pork) on a bed of white wine
cooked cabbage and these can be found in any restaurant in the city centre. I would recommend having it once and
in my opinion that is enough! Other typical foods include the famous tarte-flambée which is very popular amongst
students as it can be found quite cheaply and there are often deals including beer. A tarte-flambée is similar to a
very thin pizza without crusts and is cooked using a variety of different flavours and ingredients. There are two
places that I would recommend trying a tarte-flambée and they are; Au Brasseur and Flams’. Au Brasseur is a
traditional pub in the city centre and offers a wide range of beers and tarte-flambées, please see the map. Flams’ on
the other hand is a restaurant that can get very busy, but it does offer a menu ‘à volonté’ which means all you can
eat for less that €11. I would recommend that you try some Alsatian wine which is world famous, for more
information see the Tourism section32.
iii)
My favourite places
There are many great places to eat, but obviously there are a few that stand out. If you have your parents visiting or
simply you want to go out and have a nice meal you should try one of these restaurants. La Marseillaise located next
to the city hall is a fantastic little traditional French restaurant that specialises in steaks and meat, the food is
excellent and it is not priced too badly either. If you crave an Indian you should visit the Kashmir which is just a
minute from the ‘pont de corbeau’. Similarly if you fancy a Chinese try the Palais de Chine which is on the waterfront
near the ‘pont de corbeau’. A great place to have lunch for students is ‘Grand père’ which offers student prices and
is found in the centre of the city.
31
32
For Galia see point 10 on map and for Paul Appell see point 2
http://www.flams.fr/
17
8. What to do in Strasbourg?
If you are looking for things to do in Strasbourg consult the ‘Strassbuch’
which is a practical guide for all students containing information on
places to eat, cinemas, services, shopping, museums…etc and everything
is explained in an easy to follow way. They even recommend places to go
or eat, through a rating system. These guides are made by students and
they can be found almost anywhere on campus – they are free to take33.
i)
Nightlife
Strasbourg offers countless places to go out with friends, the IEP
organises various socials which you should make the most of to get to
know the area and meet other students. There is one excellent place I
will recommend and that is a small place called Artichoke it’s a jazz bar in
the centre of town which is very ‘sympa’.
ii)
Museums, Theatre and Opera
Check out the Strassbuch, this will have everything you need to know on cultural events. I recommend that you go
and see the national orchestra play at Strasbourg for a more sophisticated night out, it is played in a brand new
building next to the Rivetoile shopping centre and tickets are very cheap for students with a ‘carte culture’.
iii)
Cinema
There are many places to go to the cinema, the largest is next to the Rivetoile centre and you are able to watch
original version films there too. If you have you carte culture you can get a ticket for €3 if you queue up for your
ticket. Another cinema that would be worth visiting is the Odysee which is found towards the city centre, near place
Kleber34. This cinema shows films in their original form with subtitles, it often plays some interesting and alternative
films that would not make it to the mainstream cinema. The cinema itself is in an old theatre and drinking and eating
are forbidden, it is an interesting experience and if you go in the day it can be quite cheap35.
33
You can find an online guide by following this link; http://www.lestrassbuch.com/
For Odysee, see point 17 on map
35
http://www.cinemaodyssee.com/
34
18
9. Tourism
i)
The Weather
Be prepared for difficult conditions in winter, from November the temperature quite regularly drops below -10
degrees centigrade and you may not see the sun for a couple of weeks! So make sure you pack warm clothes. It is
worth packing some good, gripping shoes such as walking shoes as there it can be very icy. However, from March
onwards the temperature increases dramatically and it will be over 20 degrees almost every day.
ii)
Christmas Markets
Strasbourg is world renowned for its Christmas markets, people come from all over the world as the city centre
transforms into little markets selling mulled wine and various other Christmas knick-knacks. They start in November
until early December. If you plan to have a visitor during this period make sure you book a hotel well in advance as
from early December the city is full of tourists36.
iii)
The Marginal Line
The Marginal Line or ‘Ligne de marigot’ was a defence line used by the French against the Germans in the Second
World War; it extends for several hundred kilometres across the border of France and Germany. Unfortunately the
Germans passed through Belgium and Holland so the Marginal Line was never used to its full potential. It is a
fantastic place to visit if you are interested in military history and you get to walk around 3km of underground
36
http://www.noel.strasbourg.eu/index.php?page=1&id_lang=2
19
passageways and see all the fortifications. Student prices are available please see this link to find more
information37.
iv)
Wine
The Alsatians are very proud of their wine which is produced only a few kilometres away from Strasbourg. There are
many opportunities to visit vineyards and to taste the wines in the surrounding villages of Strasbourg. The two most
famous wines are the Riesling and the Gewürztraminer. The ‘Route des Vins d'Alsace’ (Wine route of Alsace) is an
approximately 170 km long road, crossing the main wine producing areas of the region. I would recommend
spending a day walking along part of the ‘route des vins’ as the countryside is beautiful. Please follow this link for
more detail38.
v)
Natzweiler-Struthof
If you have access to a car I would recommend that you take a small trip into the Vosges and discover a chilling dark
reminder of central Europe’s history, it is about 50km from Strasbourg. The Natzweiler-Struthof concentration camp
was the only one of its kind in France, it is at the top of a hill in the magnificent countryside of the Vosges. There is a
fascinating museum dedicated to the Holocaust and tours around to gas chambers - student prices are available39 40.
For any other tourist information there is a tourist office at the cathedral square, the staff are very friendly and
speak many languages and they will be happy to help you.
37
http://mysite.verizon.net/vzev1mpx/maginotlineatwar/id15.html
http://www.alsace-route-des-vins.com/
39
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natzweiler-Struthof
40
http://www.struthof.fr/en/home/
38
20
21
10.Map
1
IEP
2
Residence Paul Appell and University Restaurant
3
BNP Paribas
4
MGEL Centre
5
Campus Sports Centre
6
AGORA
7
University Restaurant
8
Health Walk in Centre
9
Rivetoile shopping centre
10
University Restaurant Gallia and Gallia halls
11
City Centre
12
Train Station
13
Council of Europe
14
European Parliament
15
Velop Shop
16
CAF centre
17
Odysee Cinema
Scale: one square = one kilometre squared.
22
11.Personal Reflections
In this final section of the learning log I have given a detailed guide for potential Erasmus students who want to
study at Strasbourg and now I will describe my personal feelings, achievements and regrets (only if there are a few!).
In my opinion my year abroad could not have passed better, I believe I have achieved all the things that I hoped
before setting off. My aim was to improve my French, my level of French before I left was of a B1/B2 standard and it
has improved tremendously over the year. I put this down to several reasons, firstly that classes were in French,
secondly I made the most of organisations and extracurricular groups and finally, I joined a sports team which lead to
me making good friends with French students. Academically I was also pleased how this year went, we were offered
a wide range of classes to follow – some very specific subjects which we are not offered at Exeter and I was able to
try law and history modules which are not in my degree. I feel I have been intellectually stimulated this year,
however many other Erasmus students didn’t feel the same way, they found work much easier and did not gain as
much – this obviously depended on what modules you chose, but the fact that they were in French was enough of a
challenge for me!
Outside the classroom was a great success, I was able to visit many countries during my time at Strasbourg, as
Strasbourg is a central point in Europe and the train links are excellent. I managed to visit Switzerland, Germany,
Belgium, and Luxembourg and visit other regions of France, like Lyon and Paris. I also joined a not-for-profit
organisation called ‘For a European Democracy’ which campaigned for the European Parliament to stay in
Strasbourg and to try and increase its use. This was a great opportunity as the organisation was very international
and it was interesting to work with French, German and other Europeans in trying to achieve our goal41.
By the end of the year, I managed to do almost everything that Strasbourg had to offer in terms of cultural and
educational opportunities such as visiting the ‘Observatoire’ at night which you pass in front of everyday on the way
to the IEP and visiting the International Space University of Strasbourg.
iii)
Things I would have done differently
There are a couple of things that I would have done differently. Despite managing to visit Munich, Lyon and Brussels
on my year abroad, I failed to visit some of the smaller towns and villages around Alsace. There are many lovely
places only short train journeys from Strasbourg such as Heidelberg in Germany or Colmar, only twenty minutes
south of Strasbourg. My second regret is not having been more proactive in learning a bit of German, as we were so
close to Germany. The university of Strasbourg offers many free language courses and I regret not having taken one
up whilst I was there. Finally, many students were given the opportunity to take an internship in the European
Parliament acting as a European Deputy’s assistant, these internships often lasted 2-4 months and you were
expected to work one week full time a month (when there was a parliamentary session taking place). For example a
British MEP would want a British student as his/her assistant. It would have been a great chance to see what it was
like to work in the European Parliament. Despite these regrets I tell myself that they are just an excuse to visit again!
iv)
Experience of others
The impression that I got from the other Erasmus student was that it was a fantastic year; almost everybody I knew
enjoyed their year abroad. However, some people did not have a positive experience in terms of education, they
found some of the work unchallenging and criticised the way of French assessment (normally being 100% exam) by
saying that you could get by without thinking and all you had to do was learn the lecture notes off-by-heart. Most
41
http://www.democratieeuropeenne.eu/
23
Erasmus students improved their French, but the common language between the Erasmus was normally English so
there were some people who did not improve their French and had no incentive too. You have to be very motivated
not to fall into this trap!
I have understood from other Exeter students taking Erasmus year that they also had an incredible year, whether
they went to Spain, Sweden, France or Germany. Those studying in Spain seemed to find the exams easier and that
there was little workload throughout the year whilst on the contrary those in French institutions had to apply
themselves very hard to succeed. I had a friend from Exeter who studied in Istanbul in Turkey and he found it an
incredible experience, living in a country where the culture is so inherently different.
v)
My progress over the course of the year
Term 1: September –December.
Despite enjoying myself meeting new people I found this term the hardest. It was difficult having to move into a
completely new environment which was completely out of my ‘comfort zone’. I found it difficult because in was
frightening living somewhere where you had to speak French all the time, even when going into the communal
kitchens to cook, people would always talk to you. The lectures were not easy either, having to do 2 hour classes
(sometimes without a break) was very hard and forced you to concentrate like you never have before! At the start, I
found it difficult to follow some of the lectures and I felt that I was in above my head but I always told myself that it
would get easier the longer I was there, and I would prove to be right. Outside of class, it was great fun, there were
events organised at least twice a week and I built great friendships with fellow Erasmus students and French
students alike. I would recommend you to make the most out of any social activity to change ideas from the
classroom and have some fun! In October and November the weather became really cold, colder than I have ever
experienced – it was such that it was more appealing to stay in bed than to venture outside! I found that you have to
be really motivated in Strasbourg, for example to get up for 8am lectures or going out in the evenings when it was 20 degrees and 2 feet of snow! Sometimes the weather was quite depressing, often a week would go by without any
sun – when this happens, there is even more a reason to go and socialise and have fun.
Term 2; January – March.
This was my first experience of exams in French, surprisingly my exams went well which boded for a good start to
2011. I much preferred this term as it wasn’t as cold (we had a heat wave in February and March!) and I started to
play more competitive sports with the IEP. I had also established a good network of friends which meant it was
easier to socialise. I preferred this semester in terms of academics too, I had chosen some very interesting classes
and I was getting used to lectures in French, mainly because my French had dramatically improved and I was
becoming more confident. There were also things to look forward this term too, such as the ‘semaine européenne’
and the ‘krit’ both of which I have mentioned earlier in the guide. I managed to do more travelling this term, for
example I went to Switzerland on a skiing holiday with friends I made from Strasbourg, I also went to Belgium and
Luxembourg.
Term 3; March – June
This was the final term in the academic year and was devoted to exams. Overall this was an excellent term, I was
proud of my academic achievements and I also had a lot of fun after the exams in May. It was strange how my
Erasmus year was coming to an end, despite the relative difficulties of the first term I was sad as I loved my year
here. It was strange how I had shared so much with all the Erasmus and French students but next year we would all
be back in our relative countries left with only memories from our year we spent together...
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vi)
Overall conclusion
My overall conclusion of my Erasmus year was that it was an unbelievable opportunity. To be able to study in
another country and learn its culture and language is amazing. I learned the differences between French and English
education and the fact that the IEP of Strasbourg is the 2nd best in Strasbourg not only looks good on your CV but the
year was academically stimulating. I am very grateful of the Erasmus scheme because of the amount of people I met
over the year, people from all over Europe and the world alike. The Erasmus scheme has contributed to my personal
development as it is difficult being pushed out of one’s ‘comfort zone’ and I have benefitted considerably from this.
The support we were given from Exeter University throughout the year out was fantastic; they were always on hand
to help you out when you needed it. To anybody reading this I would highly recommend that you take a year abroad
in the capital of Europe – Strasbourg.
Picture of the association For a European Democracy at an event inside the European Parliament.
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