My trip to Lyon was an absolutely amazing experience, and I will always be grateful to ECI for giving me the opportunity to travel. During my trip to Lyon I was able to gain some insight into how people live in other parts of the world, and especially how unique the way of life in France is. ECI’s trip leaders really added to the over experience of the trip. Not only were they friendly, they were also extremely organized and resourceful, which made the experience very smooth and enjoyable.

Staying in Nice for the first three days was the perfect way to start off my trip. It allowed all of the American students to bond, while still getting acclimated to our new environment. In Nice we had a perfect balance of free time, time at the beach and sightseeing activities.

Our two weeks in Lyon with our host families was the most memorable part of the trip. Spending time speaking and being around my host family improved my French in ways that I would not have thought possible. The activities we did in Lyon were so much fun, from acrobranche to Vieux Lyon. The day excursions we went on were another aspect that made my trip so great. Visiting cities such as Annecy gave me a better idea for the landscape and geography of France, as well as how much the geography affects the culture of a specific area.

Although leaving our host families and Lyon was extremely sad, arriving in Paris made up for it. We started our planned activities as soon as we left our luggage at the hotel, and the time went so fast! Paris with ECI were three of the most exciting and exhilarating days of my life.

I learned so much on my trip, not only about the French language, but about the French culture and people, and I cannot think of a way better to spend a summer. I would definitely recommend this trip to anybody who wants to expand their knowledge of France and broaden their view of the world. Thank you ECI for making my summer so special!

Laurel Handler-Vosen, France Scholarship Winner 2009

ECI generously gives out three scholarships each summer to students interested in their study abroad programs. I discovered ECI’s program online and immediately was impressed with the program’s variety and feedback from previous participants. Of course being a student, I didn’t have a lot of money saved away to go on the trip, so I applied for one of their scholarships. When I received the call from ECI, that I would receive a scholarship, it was surreal. It didn’t really sink in till about an hour after the call, and then I was so excited I wanted to start planning and preparing immediately.

I chose the Lyon home stay option because it had a diverse itinerary. We started in Nice, then spent two weeks in Lyon staying with host families and finished the trip in Paris. ECI was very helpful in answering all my questions before the trip. Before I left they outlined what the whole program included giving us rules, agendas, names of other participants and host families. It was beneficial to have information about the other participants and our host families before we left because it allowed me to facebook friend my group and my host sister and get to know them. ECI helped me in my individual transportation issues. ECI arranged for someone to meet me in Paris when I flew in on my own and needed to change terminals to catch a flight to Nice. Once I arrived in Nice our local leader was there waiting for me and the two other girls who flew on their own.

I enjoyed the trip from the beginning in Nice. As soon as I landed in the Nice airport the color of the ocean left me breathless. Staying in a hotel together allowed our group, with members from all over the United States, to get to know each other before we arrived in Lyon. There are no words for Nice’s visual beauty. Everything from the clear blue ocean, to the green luscious hills, to the shops of every color and even its inhabitants provided us with stunning views and amazing sights.

When we arrived in Lyon I was nervous to leave the group and have a total emersion experience, even if it was only for the weekend. My fears had vanished by the next day when I went to a café with my host sister and her friends taking in the Lyonnais life style. The weekend turned out to be a success but it was still a relief to reunite with familiar faces during the week. During the week the ECI group would participate in activities such as kayaking, take daytrips to see the local sights or have a leisurely lunch at La Tête d’Or Park.

Paris was the perfect ending to the trip. We had a full schedule each day with well know attractions: Musee d’Orsay, Le Louvre, or Notre Dame. Evenings were spent eating good food, visiting the Eiffel tower and a scenic boat tour.

I am really happy with my choice of staying in Lyon, the host families were great, chaperones were very knowledge able, the activities were fun and helped me improve my French. Emerging myself in the French culture has been one of the most amazing and greatest learning experiences of my life. Since the trip I have eagerly studied French with a knew found passion and hope to continue speaking and learning French for the rest of my life.

ECI’s program gave me a one of a kind experience and I will always be grateful for the wonderful gift of a scholarship. Without it my participation would not have taken place. ECI thank you for your generosity and terrific program.

Casey Wesselink, France Scholarship Winner 2009