Hello! Ciao! Hola! Bonjour!

My semester abroad has been a multicultural experience from the outset. The flight from John F. Kennedy International Airport to Madrid-Barajas Airport and finally to Marseille Provence Airport was a collage of English, Italian, Spanish, and French.

I am studying abroad in Aix-en-Provence, France, an ancient Roman city that was founded in 123 B.C. Aix was the medieval capital of Provence and was originally founded by the Roman consul Gaius Sextius Calvinus as a military colony. Aix was originally named Aquae Sextiae, Latin for “the waters of Sextius”, after its founder.

The first thing I noticed about Aix was its pervasive cohesion. Each part of the city fits seamlessly into the complete Provençal puzzle.

One of the main unifying aspects of this city is its architecture. Nearly all of its buildings are built of yellow or pink sandstone that was quarried in the region.

The “Aquae” part of the city’s original name comes from its many springs. The theme of water in Aix is furthered by its numerous fountains.