I was an exchange student at the Université des Antilles-Guyane for about 4 months. I enjoyed my time there, although it wasn't entirely what I expected. I was quite stunned at first at how architecturally French-looking the town was, although the colours were more of a Caribbean palette. I liked studying as it meant I had free time to travel to close-by islands, like St Lucia and Barbados, but I was also quite happy to take in the Martinican air and travel around the island by foot most of the time! Martinique: not as famous as its neighbouring islands, but just as gripping! I didn't want to leave and who could blame me?!

Without making an effort, a small village can be a very isolating experience. Moreuil was a beautiful place and the people were very friendly, which helped me settle in. There were lots of clubs and societies and I wasn't far from Amiens. To really enjoy Moreuil, you'd have to be up for living  in a small village. I worked a lot and therefore didn't have much time to get involved in town activities, which is important for making friends (although there wasn’t a huge number of young people). With a car, this would be a good place to be. Make sure you know exactly what you will be doing and think seriously about whether or not you will enjoy where you are living – it’s definitely worth visiting beforehand. Also, consider how much French you will be speaking.

Angoulême, France - humble, picturesque, convivial, typical, sunny
 

There was very little to do in Angoulême itself, but people were gregarious so it made it quite easy to socialise.  As a teaching assistant I had lots of free time and holidays so many chances to travel - I visited Paris, La Rochelle, Bordeaux and Poitiers.  Make sure you throw yourself into it, make lots of plans, and accept offers outside of your comfort zone. Don't worry too much, any problems you have can be solved as you have so many people supporting you and looking out for you, here and back at home!