US vs France Classrooms

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Last week I had some problems with readjusting because of the Marseille portion. It consisted of moving into a new apartment, learning how to navigate the city (which is much bigger than Nice), debating over eating out or cooking, and many other things. However, Iโ€™ve had consistency this week and I feel like Iโ€™ve settled into a routine for Marseille. I havenโ€™t gotten too comfortable because I leave for Morocco tomorrow! But I want to touch on the school aspect since thatโ€™s what I spend the majority of my time here in Marseille.

In previous journals, Iโ€™ve briefly touched on the teaching style and how it compares to the US. The professors at IES Nice teach at the local university and follow Franceโ€™s school system. So, there is a heavy reliance on participation, oral presentation of readings, discussions, and a final research paper that we will be working on over the course of the semester. I have always been used to lectures and writing down notes, so this is new to me. Personally, I am a visual learner and prefer lecture slides so I initially found it difficult to keep up with the professorโ€™s oral lecture.

Although the professor includes powerpoint slides in the lecture, there is still a heavy reliance on the oral lecture. I usually tend to zone out, but because of this it has forced me to be more attentive. It was difficult at first – especially with the history course where there are so many dates and events to remember – but I feel like I learn more since I am forcing myself to listen. I presented my first report on one of the readings! I felt really proud of my presentation and the professor enjoyed it, as well as my classmates. Over the years of school (back in the US), Iโ€™ve tried different approaches when it comes to reading long articles and books so I wasnโ€™t too worried about this report. I was mainly worried about the final paper – which is only about 2 and half weeks away – but we got more details and clarity from the professor. This week, I chose a topic and am currently writing a writing plan so I can get started right away when I get back to Nice.

As mentioned before, I know I have to leave Marseille soon so even though Iโ€™m not getting too comfortable, I am enjoying the routine Iโ€™ve established here. There has been consistency with the school aspect – that is professor, homework, lectures, topics – so this hasnโ€™t really been an issue. If anything, Iโ€™ve gotten used to this and enjoy going to class now. Thereโ€™s just been a lot of moving around, but I am super excited to have a break from school and enjoy Morocco! Next weekโ€™s journal will cover my experience in Morocco so stay tuned :)