Hi everyone, and welcome to my weekly blog as an exchange student in Monaco, the country of billionaires!
My name is Dasha, and I’m excited to share this journey with you all. I’m from Kazakhstan and currently studying business analytics and finance, though at IUM, I’m focusing more on finance. This isn’t my first time studying abroad – I’ve already had the opportunity to study in Germany and South Korea, so I’ve gained a lot of experience with different cultures. I’m really excited for my time in Monaco, but let’s go back to the day I first arrived in France.
15th September. Arrival Day.
It still feels surreal that my plane has finally landed in Nice, France. As soon as I stepped off, I was surrounded by French speakers, a constant reminder that I’m no longer in Philadelphia. Getting to my new apartment in Cannes turned out to be quite an adventure—it took about two hours involving a bus ride, a taxi trip to collect the keys, and a 15-minute walk with two huge suitcases. Sounds great, right? Not exactly. I spent over an hour trying to order a taxi, only to face rejections on Uber drivers because I didn’t speak French.
Navigating France without speaking the language isn’t as easy as I’d imagined, but I finally made it to my apartment, and the stunning view of the sea made everything worthwhile. It was hot, especially after a week of rain in Philly, and I finally had the chance to relax after a sleepless night.
16th September. IUM Orientation.
The South of France is known as a place for wealthy people, and there are some benefits: clean cities, friendly people, and, of course, incredible food. I was excited to explore Cannes, but it was orientation day at IUM, so I had to go to Monaco.To get to the International University of Monaco (IUM) from Cannes, I took a train that takes about an hour and ten minutes. The ticket costs around €11 each way, but most students live closer, in Nice or nearby cities, where it’s just a 10-20 minute commute to Monaco. Despite the travel, I was so excited for my first day and to meet new people.
When I arrived at IUM, I was surprised by how small it was. The university has just three floors of a building—the first for the cafeteria, the second for administration, and the third for classrooms. There are over 1,000 students here, but only 10 of us are exchange students, and I’m the only one from the U.S. Most of the others were first-year students from all over Europe.
We were given a tour of the university and an introduction session where they walked us through the academic process and answered all of our questions.The academic system and schedule are completely different from Drexel, but that’s a story for another post!
European students are super friendly and open to making new connections, and I immediately found some people to hang out with. After our second session, we headed to Starbucks together for coffee and spent time getting to know each other better.
At the end of this long but exciting day, I had to rush back to catch the last train to Cannes, which runs around 9 PM. Fun fact – Uber is prohibited in Monaco, so don’t rely on it. Luckily, I made it back just in time and returned home, excited for the exchange semester that awaits me in the South of France.
Stay tuned for my upcoming posts! I can’t wait to share more about my experiences and adventures in Monaco.
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