Intense, Unique, and Worth It: My EMICC Experience in Paris

This year, the Eurocampus semester, part of the European Masters in Intercultural Communication (EMICC) program, took place in Paris. Who doesn’t want to go to Paris? I decided to go instantly. Don’t do that! Did I regret going? Not one bit. However, I do encourage you to learn about the program before you go. Speaking of the program, it is absolutely intense and unique. You get to experience so many different courses in just one semester, with amazing professors, might I add. There are pros and cons to this system. You get a new experience every single week: if you don’t like a course, it is only for three days. However, you will like many courses and hate that they have to end so fast. In your normal student life you will never experience something like this. 

Now, how is everything organized? We were very lucky that our host was Professor Mylene Hardy, she truly made us feel like home. We started with an amazing picnic with food that locals enjoy, where I had the best olives and cheese. Great start to our journey together. We also had all the support from the lovely Anna, a student at the university, who was doing her internship with us. I felt supported every step of the way. If you come to Tallinn, I know your experience will be just as amazing and you will feel just as welcome.  People are the best part of this program. Reading the articles from previous years only confirmed my opinion on this.

The bonds you build in this program are very special. Why? Because you are in such an unusual setting! Professors have only three days with you, so they tend to have a different approach than they do in their normal teaching life. Your group mates become your friends because you are experiencing something special together: adjusting to a new city, long days at the university, group work, figuring out how to go about things. The dynamic becomes truly special. I suggest you lean into it and spend time with your group mates even outside of university. I didn’t and I regret it. It is very easy to become overwhelmed when you are in a city like Paris! If your plan is to come to Estonia this year, I promise Tallinn is not overwhelming at all. On the contrary, it is cozy and friendly. 

Another thing that can but doesn’t need to be overwhelming is doing your assignments. After some classes we needed to complete assignments, which is completely manageable if you don’t let them pile up. Also, don’t be scared to change your study plan and choose the courses that you truly enjoy and the assignments that will be beneficial to you. Some assignments helped me with ideas for my thesis, which is priceless. You can definitely tailor this experience to your needs and you should. The courses are so diverse, you will find the ones that you absolutely love, some that will challenge you, surprise you and some that will make you feel like it is your first day on Earth.

I had very mixed feelings about my experience with this program but looking back at it, I am very happy that I did it and grateful to all the professors and all the people I met along the way. Take a chance!