Category: Darby in Aix

Hi again!! It’s been about half of the semester so far, and time is flying by! We just had midterms this week, which felt very different than midterms at DU. All of my classes, except one, were in-person essays and the other was a five-minute speaking assessment with the professor. However, I am super excited to go on spring break next week! I will be traveling up to Paris, so I will definitely miss the sunshine all the time, but am looking forward to all the fun touristy attractions!

I was also fortunate enough to travel to Ireland last weekend to surprise my grandma who was taking a trip there! It was so exciting to see her reaction and to be with her family again. While I do love it here, obviously there are moments of homesickness, and seeing my family made me feel more grounded and secure. Ireland was amazing and I am so thankful for that opportunity!

Hi everyone! My name is Darby Anson, and I’m a junior studying abroad at IAU in Aix-en-Provence, France! The first couple of weeks have been full of excitement, joy and new beginnings. Upon arrival in Aix, I was full of nerves, seeing as I was about to face so many new things. My host mom greeted me at the bus station, and she is the sweetest. I live with a housemate from Penn State about twenty minutes outside of the city center. The walk to the university is beautiful. In the evening you can even watch the sunset over the mountains. There are so many museums to visit here as well, including Musée Granet, which has so many incredible pieces of art. This city is beautiful, and I cannot wait to explore it more! 

I am a part of the French Honors Program here at IAU, so all five of my courses are in French. The teachers here are great and the courses are challenging but interesting. In addition, my language skills have improved greatly since I am speaking French at school and at my homestay. Since French is also my major at DU, I am beyond excited I got this opportunity to live here for 4 months, and this journey is just beginning!!