Although sadly, with the end coming in sight, my stay here in Toulouse has been filled with tons of great intercultural experiences and exploration. I am extremely happy with my host family, Monsieur and Madame Ovinet, and their son Adrien, a freshman in high school who has also become a very good friend of mine. Adrien enjoys playing handball in school and we have played endless amounts of ping-pong together at the Ovinet’s vacation home in the Pyrénées. During my stay in Toulouse, I have enjoyed many French delicacies cooked by the Ovinet’s. A few of these exceptional plates include, roasted chicken, pork chops, and Belgian mussels that are always served with a fresh baguette and a fine assortment of cheeses. For dessert, there is always a tart or fresh pie that has been baked for the evening. In addition to this, the Ovinets serve their desserts with fresh honey that they gather from their 50,000 honeybees in the countryside. Alongside the amazing food, I have enjoyed living with three other French students named Arthur, Louis, and Camille. During quiet school nights with little work to do, we get together and watch “le Petit Journal”, which is a hilarious French version of “The Colbert Report”, except much more polite.
Aside from home-life, I think it goes without saying that my experience in the city of Toulouse has been nothing short of extraordinary. Before my arrival, I had always been told that Toulouse is an extremely special place for any student. After a semester studying here, I can safely say it has lived up to any and all expectations. Throughout the semester I have been taking courses at l’IAE, a school of business and management here in Toulouse. I have found the students and professors to be incredibly nice and they immediately wanted to show me around and give me an idea of what this amazing city really has to offer for its students. Of course, Toulouse has endless historical sights, churches, and famous gardens, but one of my favorite things has been to discover my favorite spots all over the city with my friends. This way, when you frequent certain areas of the city, you can start to get to know the owners and workers of some of the local bars, clubs and theaters. It is an amazing feeling to be able to create these types of relationships with friends and colleagues in an entirely foreign environment. It creates an unbelievable level of confidence to know that you can not only succeed, but also thrive in a country with as much rich cultural history as France. Finally, one of my favorite parts about the city is the quality and speed of the metro. The A and B lines of Toulouse are not only spotless but incredibly easy to navigate. This makes it so easy to traverse all over city in only a matter of minutes, and unfortunately puts the New York City subway to shame.
If I had to recommend this city to any student interested in a French-speaking environment, I would have to say that Toulouse is your destination without hesitation. Sign up for the program and discover an entirely new way of life. If you are brave enough to apply and take the plunge, a beautiful city in the south of France will be at your disposal and with enough work, in your back pocket.
-Greg Sellhausen