by Avery Fleming
Bonjour!
This first amazing week in Aix-en-Provence has been jam packed with friends, food, and learning.
Our first few days were spent working off jet lag while taking in our new town. My first thoughts were that Aix looked as though it was a storybook town straight out of Beauty and the Beast. Saturday and Sunday were a lot cooler than I was expecting, but it was nice for our walking tours of both the International American University and town as a whole. We also visited and learned about many of the beautiful and historical fountains that make Aix known as “The fountain town.” Over the first weekend, our group honestly clicked fast as we walked everywhere together and bonded over health care.
Throughout the week, we began classes and were joined by three guest speakers. We started by learning about the United States health care system and reinforced general concepts that most of us had learned in various other classes. In comparison, we then learned about the French health care system. I was surprised to learn that some of the concepts were very similar to the United States. However, there were some large differences as well, such as their increased taxes and paid time off, but most notably, the universal health care structure. Our first speaker, Emmanuelle Hartmann, spoke to our female-dominated group about women’s health in France and the overall focus of the French health care system. After this, Nitin Beeharry and Benjamin Gerard, spoke with us about the ins and outs of the French health care system and how this system came to be. In addition to our lecture portion, we spent two days touring parts of Camp de Mille, Pont du Gard, and Avignon. These immersive experiences allowed us to take in more of this beautiful and historic country.
France so far has been nothing short of a dream. Although my French is terrible and I still really have to think if I say “Bonjour” or “Merci,” I have truly loved the culture and life here. The walkable city allows for a different way of life where the streets are not overrun with cars, but instead have people walking, selling flowers, or offering candy samples. Three days a week, there is a large market where locals have stands for textiles, foods, and other goods. I was able to spend time with my friends walking around and discovering many things that are not often available in the United States. We found that our new favorite meal is a focaccia sandwich with truffle spread and prosciutto. I have also had the opportunity to try so many different sweets and fun snacks, but my favorites are definitely the fresh fruit, Nutella crêpe, and a classic chocolate croissant.
Overall, studying abroad and signing up without knowing anyone has paid off already in more ways than I could have imagined. First, with my end goal of being a physician in the United States, I believe that learning about our health care system in comparison to other health systems and societal infrastructure allows for a deeper perspective of medicine globally. Next, this experience has already opened my eyes to places I likely would have never had the opportunity to immerse myself in otherwise. Last, I have met absolutely amazing people that I couldn’t imagine this trip without! I can’t wait for all that is to come in the next three weeks and even though this trip will be over before I know it, these memories will be with me forever!
