Ciao ! Adios ! Au revoir !

In September 2018 I quit my job, packed my bags, hopped on a plane and moved from Toronto, Canada to Aix-en-Provence France to start my Masters Degree! …In actuality, the process was actually much more exhaustive ; between school applications, full time work and visa appointments, the whole summer leading up to my departure was a stressful blur for both me and my family – most of which I attribute to the fact that the decision to start a Masters program abroad was done abruptly (about 4 months before my departure), and to my general lack of planning (dont make this mistake!).

A quick an sudden move…

Throughout my Undergraduate Degree at the University of Ottawa I took advantage of their amazing mobility scholarship program to travel in the name of education. After spending two semesters abroad in France, I was addicted to the rush and excitement of moving to a new place and meeting new people. When I returned from my second semester in January 2018, I was restless. Coming down from my travel high, I knew that following my graduation in April 2018 I wasn’t ready to transition to a 9-5 lifestyle and began looking at Masters programs abroad.

Why France?

Aside from the abundance of delicious (…and cheap!) cheese and wine, France has always been a serious passion of mine. From its rich history, beautiful architecture, exquisite cuisine and romantic language I just couldn’t resist. Another appealing factor was the low cost. Universities in France are publicly funded and are therefore extremely affordable ; for the 2018/2019 year, the Master level fees were only €243 per year! …this is a cost I would normally attribute to buying school textbooks in Canada, never mind a Masters program. Recently, the French government has increased the tuition rates for academic year 2019/20, making the annual Master level fee €3,770. While the increase is drastic, the cost is still relatively low when compared to the North American standard. If studying abroad in France interests you I would definitely recommend checking out the Campus France website to get a clearer picture of the educational options available to you!

Looking ahead…

While the initial goal is to complete my Masters Degree in Communication and Media studies over the next two years, I’m hoping to make the move to France permanent. This being the fourth time I have moved abroad, I can say with certainty that travelling to a new country, immersing myself in a foreign culture and participating in fun activities with other crazy travellers have been some of the happiest moment of my entire life. As I continue my blissful journey abroad, I have three words for those of you who are considering making the move yourself : JUST DO IT!