Nice to be in “Nice”

Two students, Nayanika Cherian and Lulu Al Sugair were awarded French Scholarships to study in Nice in the Summer. Lulu reports “ Have you ever imagined spending two weeks on your own in the French Riviera? This summer, I was fortunate to be selected by the French Embassy to travel to Nice in order to develop and practise the use of the French language. In order to be selected we had to go through the rigorous process of sending in an application letter, being shortlisted and getting invited for an interview with a member of the French Embassy. On 3 August, we gathered to leave for an adventure of a lifetime. As soon as we touched down in Nice, we were then taken to Parc Imperial, our home for the next two weeks.

Every morning, it was required for us to attend morning lessons which were entirely in French; we learnt to communicate and develop our writing technique. The staff at Azurlingua, led by the director Eric Charbonelle, were very welcoming from the moment we arrived to the day we left. Every morning, we were greeted and whenever we were in doubt, they always tried to help without fail. Every Thursday was a half-day excursion and we visited the nearby cities of Eze, Ville-franche and Antibes. One of the visits in Eze was to the Galimard Perfumery where Leonardo DiCaprio had been several times before, and also to a fort at the top of the cliff with the view of the French Riviera. On Saturdays, full-day excursions to major touristic sites such as Cannes, Monaco, Grasse, and St. Tropez were organised. Nice is a beautiful, historic and vibrant city. The shops and atmosphere of the city had really taken me by surprise, as I never truly imagined Nice to be so diverse and true to its name. I would like to thank the French Ambassador, the French Embassy, Ms. Alice de Mony Pajol and Mr Bazzouz for providing this opportunity. This is most definitely a trip that I will never forget and will always cherish”.