Semester abroad at the École nationale supérieure d'architecture de Marseille - Architecture and Urban Design (BA)

The decision

I always wanted to live in France for a longer period of time to learn the language and get a feel for local life. I travelled to Marseille for the first time in 2019 and was very impressed by the city and nature. During a hike in the Calanques, I discovered the École nationale supérieure d'architecture de Marseille and the Beaux-Arts. I wasn't studying architecture at the time, but I thought that if I did, I would like to do an Erasmus semester there. And as luck would have it, it is a partner university of the FH Potsdam.

I also applied for a year straight away, as otherwise I felt I wouldn't have enough time to get involved and experience everything without feeling any time pressure. That was also the right decision for me.

Preparations

The application process was very exciting for me, as I had only applied for Marseille and we had to wait a long time for a response. As a result, I was afraid that it wouldn't work out, even though I was really looking forward to it. I was also afraid of the language, as I had studied French at school but knew from previous holidays that school French and colloquial French are very different. That's why I started attending various language courses at adult education centres in Berlin in January 2022 to prepare for teaching French. When I was accepted, I was very happy. I travelled by train, which is very convenient as you only have to change trains once in Frankfurt. The journey takes a day in total, but it's really nice and you can get used to the change of countries. You also get a travel allowance from Erasmus if you don't fly.

The accommodation

I started looking for accommodation about 2 months before my trip via various websites: Once via Facebook, but for France I can especially recommend the sites Cartedecoloc and Leboncoin. I found my first flat share via Leboncoin and was able to make an online viewing. I found it very difficult to look for flats online and not be on site, as you can't really assess the location and neighbourhood and you don't know your way around the city yet. What was also confusing at the beginning is that rooms are always rented out individually in France. This means that you always have direct contact with the landlord and therefore rarely know who else is living in the flat. That was irritating, but also had the advantage that all rooms in shared flats are actually furnished, which was of course very good for me. Another advantage is that you always have a kind of living room in shared flats. I had signed a tenancy agreement until February for the flat I found when I was still in Berlin because I didn't want to commit to a year yet and thought that once you're there, you can assess the situation better. That was also very good, because I then moved again in February to a flat that was much more spacious, with a large living room, and which was also in a better location. You can usually cancel your tenancy agreement one month in advance.

Studying at the university

There was an introductory event at the beginning, where you were mainly shown around the university. In general, however, communication with the partner university before the start of the semester abroad was very disorganised due to illness at the International Office. That's why we didn't really feel prepared. The university started earlier than we thought, as the university in France always starts in September and there is always a "semaine intensive" at the architecture university beforehand. In the first semester, I mainly chose courses from the fifth semester. The structure of the courses is similar to that in Potsdam, so it was easy to familiarise myself with them. I chose a lot of courses in the first semester, which was a bit too much for me, especially in a different language. My exams were all in the form of a presentation or a term paper. In the second semester, I chose slightly fewer courses and mainly focussed on design again. I also did a few courses from the fourth semester, as my fellow students from the sixth semester otherwise primarily had courses for their Bachelor's thesis. The Bachelor's degree programme here doesn't last four years, but three. The working atmosphere was similar to that in Potsdam, although the biggest difference was in the topics, which were more orientated towards the Mediterranean region. The focus was also more on the models and the floor plan itself and less on the surroundings. That was very interesting and I am grateful for the new perspective.

Everyday life and leisure

The cost of living is already more expensive than in Berlin, especially shopping in the supermarkets and eating out. However, there are markets where vegetables and fresh food are cheaper, for example in Noailles.

The rent is similar to that in Germany: you can find something between 400 and 600 euros. Of course, the halls of residence are cheaper, but they are often not in very good condition; it depends on the hall of residence.

Marseille is a very diverse city and there is a lot to do. There are lots of second-hand shops, markets, bars and cinemas. If the city gets too busy, you can go hiking in the countryside and in the Calanques (Calanque de Sugiton, Les Goudes, Ile de frioul), or simply go to the sea and swim. There are many beautiful beaches in the city. My favourite beach is near Malmousque.

I also went surfing a few times in winter, as there are good waves in the Mediterranean in winter with enough wind, which I didn't realise before. I also did a boxing course through a cultural centre, which offers a wide range of courses on a donation basis (coco velten, friche belle de mai).

Conclusion and tips

I really enjoyed my stay abroad and I still like it a lot afterwards. I really fell in love with the city and can recommend everyone to come here with a certain openness to new things and new experiences. Of course, there were also many moments that challenged me and things that were different from home. For these moments, I can above all recommend being patient, as everything usually works out and you just need a little time. I also think you shouldn't have too high expectations of yourself and put yourself under pressure.

I would definitely recommend taking French courses beforehand, as the language barrier was one of my biggest problems. But you shouldn't let it intimidate you either. Because as soon as you try to speak the language, people in Marseille react openly and it's not a problem if you make mistakes.

I've learnt a lot this year: a new perspective on architecture, French basics, what it's like to live in a different city and build up a new circle of friends, and about myself: What I need, what I don't, how I deal with the unfamiliar.

I can only recommend a longer stay in Marseille and also making trips to the rest of France from there, although the city itself already has enough to offer!