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It may not be possible to inform you of your precise housing assignment prior to your arrival in Aix.
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Vanderbilt in France students are lodged as paying guests in Aix-en-Provence homes. Those who provide lodging for Vanderbilt in France have been associated with the program for many years. They know your needs and try to satisfy them, and they enjoy helping you make the best of the months you spend in Aix. Our students in the past have enjoyed them.
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Various housing situations are available. Many students have a room in the apartment or house of a widow or elderly couple that is either in town or within walking distance (five to thirty minutes from the Center). Some of these situations are very independent, with a separate entrance and very little contact with the French landlord. In other cases, there may be more contact with the French hosts, shared bathroom, access to telephone or television, etc. Each situation is different, and each has its special advantages and disadvantages. We screen our living situations carefully and feel they are some of the best Aix has to offer. All rooms are furnished and heated, and in all cases there is access to either a shower or bathtub. Standards of comfort, whether in a private dwelling or student residence, are usually adequate, though generally not on par with lodging facilities in the U.S. Students who may be temperamentally unable or unwilling to make these adjustments should reflect carefully before deciding to study abroad. Please come with an open mind, ready to discover and appreciate the French ways that you will find here.
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When in Aix, you must remember to respect the rules of the household in which you are living. Water is expensive in France, therefore you may have to cut your hot showers short and limit them to one a day. Electricity is also expensive; use of hair dryers and other electrical appliances should be kept to a minimum or avoided entirely. In many cases, you will not be able to have friends stay overnight or visit in your room. Be sure to ask about the rules, and respect them.
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Kitchens are usually fairly small, so your personal use of the kitchen may be very limited. Vanderbilt does not contract for kitchen privileges. You will, however, be able to prepare a simple breakfast, either in the kitchen or in your room, depending on the situation. Please remember to inform your hosts when you plan to go out of town or if you plan to be away from home.
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Telephone practices also differ in France. Because there is a charge for each call based on its length, you may have to limit your phone calls where you live to 5 or 10 minutes, which by French standards is a long call. In some cases, you may not have access to a phone at all. Please do not be alarmed by this, as your parents can always reach you in case of emergency by calling the Center (direct dial from the U.S.: 011.33.4.42.38.14.79) or the Director's apartment (direct dial: 011.33.4.42.93.31.89). See "Keeping in Touch" for more information about telephones.
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We hope that you have chosen to come to France to experience another culture, not to find exactly what you left in the U.S. It is very important to keep an open mind and to try to understand and accept the differences you find here. Students in the past have been surprised, at first, that their living situation was simply a place to live, not really a "family/home" away from home. Most come to realize, however, that this is simply "the French way."
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