La Maison des Palmiers, American University Center of Provence

Last semester, we had the opportunity to spend four months in the beautiful city of Aix-en-Provence, studying French at the American University Center of Provence. We spent our first four days in France vacationing in Paris before we headed south to Aix, deep in the heart of sunny Provence. From the moment we stepped off the plane, we felt so out of place and unsure of our behavior in this new culture that was so different from our own. We were thrown off balance by simple things like how to pay a bill in a restaurant, or how the banks worked. It seemed so overwhelming then, being a stranger in a new land, but we quickly overcame our fear and doubts once we stepped off the train in Aix and were immediately welcomed by our host families. Living in a host family allowed us to partake in the intimacy of French family life, something that we would not have been able to experience by living in a dorm. In doing everyday things with our families like sharing meals and watching soccer games, our eyes were opened to the fact that there are other ways to live in the world besides our own. Besides, the home-cooked meals were wonderful!

At the AUCP, we pledged to speak only French during our time abroad, and this allowed us to improve our speaking skills rather quickly. One of the main focuses of the program is to provide students with not only an experience of language immersion, but also one of cultural immersion. We had the opportunity to learn a lot about cultural differences between Americans and the French that often cause misunderstandings. One of the most rewarding aspects of our experience was gaining the confidence to participate in ordinary activities with French people, such as joining a hiking club, or discussing movies at a café.

Living afar from everything familiar to us, we were able to acquire a profound respect for different ideas and ways of doing things. We learned that different does not necessarily mean wrong. Besides improving our speaking skills and knowledge of French culture, we learned so much about who we are and the inherent values that have shaped us as Americans.

--Caitlin Mahoney '04 and Audrey Neddermann '04

This spring Drs. Wixon and Perfetti visited the AUCP to take in the Provençal sun and to make sure the Center's staff and facilities continue to be first-rate. They are happy to report that all is well... and that they look forward to returning when they can! For more information on the AUCP, go to http://www.aucp.org/.