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ExchangeReport

SKEMABusinessSchool

(SophiaAntipolis)

WongYinYee

Marketing,Year3

Spring2018

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TablesofContentsPartIMonthlyActivityLogP.3-4PartIIGeneralExchangeInformationP.5-8PartIIIItemstoBeingP.8PartIVUsefulLinksandContactsP.8

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PARTI–MONTHLYACTIVITYLOGJanuary2018Iarrivedon4/1earlierbeforethestartofmyschooldaytofirstlysettledownallthethings.Whilemyorientationdaywason8/1.Onthatday,thereweresomeget-togetheractivities,seminarsandcampustourtoletusgetmoreinformationandideasaboutSKEMA,transportationandalltheproceduresofregisteringthecourses.Also,itprovidedafreelunchtoallofusandit’sagreattimetochatandgetfamiliarwiththelocalandexchangestudents.Aftertheorientationday,itstillhadtwoweekstostartmyfirstcourse.Therefore,Iplannedatwo-weektriptoNice,Avignon,PontduGard,ArlesandSt.RemywithanewfriendinSKEMA.However,theweatherwasquitebadduringthattwoweeks,soIdidmissalotofbeautifulviewsandtouristspots.So,itwouldbemuchbetterifwegothereinsummer.Afterthissmalltrip,IbackedtoJuanlePinsandstartedmysemester.Infact,therewerejustafewlessonsinJanuary,sothismonthwaslikeanadaptiveperiodandquiterelaxingforme.

February2018InthebeginningofFebruary,Idonothavemuchhomeworkandassignmentstodo,soIwenttoPariswithmyflatmatesforaweek.Pariswassuchabeautifulplaceandreallyworthtogo.Ispentsuchagoodtimetherewiththem.Afterthattrip,mysemestertrulybeganasIneededtostarttoworkonmyassignmentsandprojects.AsallofmycourseswereaboutMarketing,soIgotmanypresentations.Luckily,alltheteachersandstudentstherewereverynice,soIactuallyworkedquitewellwiththem.InthemiddleofFebruary,therewasaFestivalinNice,somyclassmatesinvitedmetogotogether.WhileIjoinedthemanditwasreallyfunwhichhadmanylargedecoration,performancesandtouriststhere.

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March2018InthebeginningofMarch,Ispentmostofthetimeinworkingmyprojectonthemarketingcourseoftelecomproductswithmyschoolmates.AndwehadtopresenttotherepresentativeofMonacoTelecomwhichisoneofthebiggesttelecomconnectorsinFranceandtomakesomerecommendationsontheirTVsettoenhancetheirproducts.Indeed,wehavetocompetewithothergroupstowintheopportunitytopresenttothemanagersinMonaco.Thoughwefinallydidn’tgetthatchance,it’sstillsuchagreatandremarkableexperiencetome.Aftertwoweeksofintensiveschoolworks,Ihaveaweekoffreetime,soItravelledtoAmsterdam,BrusselsandMilanwithmyfriend.WhileIexploredmanynewthingsinAmsterdam,likeRedLightSecretandalsoatealotofgreatfoodthere.

April2018InApril,mysemesterendedafterfinishingtwoexams.Then,IstartedmytraveljourneywhichstartedfromGermany,Poland,GreeceandUKasthefinalstop.Duringthismonth,Isawalotandwenttomanydifferentplacesandcities.Itdefinitelyborderedmyviewwhichenabledmetodiscoverdifferentculturesamongdifferentcities.Duringthetrip,Ilivedmanyhostelsthatalsoallowedmetomakenewfriendsfromdifferentcountries.It’ssuchauniqueexperiencetochatwiththemandknewmoreabouttheircountriesandmannersthroughtheconversation.Allinall,it’sreallyworthtohavethisspecialandunforgettableexchangeexperience.Itwassothankfulandgratitudetohavesuchprogramandopportunitytoletusexploremoreaboutthisworldfromstudyingabroad.IfIhaveonemorechancetojointhiskindofprogram,Iwilldefinitelyapplyandencourageotherstojoinforsure.

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PARTII–GeneralExchangeInformationVisaProcedures:InordertoexchangeinFrance,youhavetoapplyfora“LongStayStudyVisa”fromtheFrenchConsulateinAdmiralty,HongKong.Youcandownloadtheapplicationformonline,bookthesectionyouwantandprepareallrequireddocumentsitstated.Then,youwillhave2interviewstoattendwhichalsoneedtobebookedinadvance.Thewholeprocesswilltakearound2weeks,somakesureyoudoitassoonaspossible.Forstudentswhostudyinspring,IsuggestyoutoapplyearlierasitmaytakelongertimetoproceedduringChristmas.Formoreinformation,visitthiswebsite:http://www.consulfrance-hongkong.org/Visa-ApplicationOrientationActivities:SKEMABusinessschoolhadmanyexchangestudentactivitiesandtheyhaveasocietywhichwillholdactivitiesregularly,forexample,togotraveltonearbycountriesandpartieseveryThursday.Andsomeofthemneedtoparticipateincostbutsomearefree.Therefore,itisgoodtofollowtheirFacebooktoseewhatactivitiestheyoffertointernationalstudents.InternationalServices&Activities:SKEMAprovidesinternationalservicesandmanyculturalactivitiesforexchangestudentstoparticipateinthroughthesocietyheldbystudentswhichistheInternationalsocietyanditneedscosttojointheirmember,butyoucanmakemanyinternationalfriendsthroughjoiningtheirsociety.Accommodation:SKEMAhasalistofhousingsitewithallthedetailsoflandlordswhichsuggestssomepossibleaccommodationfortheexchangestudents.MostofthepopularplacesareinJuanlePins,AntibesandNiceastheyarenearertheschoolandmoreconvenientthathavebustoarrivetheredirectly.Andthepricefortherentinonesemesterisaround$4000-5000HKDandmoststudentsshareitwithschoolmatesortheyalsocanfindroommatethroughtheSKEMAhousingwebsite.WhileallthehousinginformationwillbegiventostudentsintheWelcomePack,soallthedetailscouldbefoundonitswebsite,thereforeit’snothardtofindtheirhelpincaseyoucannotfindtheflatmates.Forme,sincetherewere4studentsfromHKUSTtoSKEMA,sowedecidedtorentanAirbnbinJuanlePinsthatwefoundonitswebsite.Itonlytookaround20minutestobacktoschoolandonly5minutestothesupermarketandthebeautifulseanearby.Therentofsharingamong4peoplewas$4500HKD.Therefore,ifyou

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haveafewpeoplegoalongwithyou,itisalsoawaytorentalargerapartmentfromAirbnbtosavetherentalcost.CourseRegistration:Beforeregistration,wereceivedacoursedescriptionanddetailsinemailbySKEMAwhichisdirecttothelinkofWelcomePackonschoolwebsite.Therefore,wecansendthecoursedetailstoHKUSTARRfortheapprovalofcredittransfertoensurethecoursesregisteredlatercanbesuccessfullytransfertoHKUST.Besides,youneedtowatchoutfortheclassclashesforthecourses,becauseitwascommonthatyouhavetoattendthecourseforthesameday.ThecoursesdonotfollowaregularweeklyschedulelikeHKUST,whileyouarenotallowedtoskipmorethan2classesforeachcourses.So,youneedtopayattentiontothedifferentdatesofcourses.Otherwise,youmayfailthecoursebecauseofthetimeclashes.Inaddition,youwillalsoreceiveadetailtimetableandcoursedescriptionontheorientationday.Afterthat,youcanalsodatethecourseadvisortoaskfortheiropinionsandanyenquiries.Teaching&AssessmentMethod:TheteachingmethodinSKEMAactuallyisquitesimilartoHKUSTthatwehavetoattendthelecturesandparticipationiscompulsorythatwecan’tskiplessonsformorethan2.AsImainlystudiedtheMarketingcourses,sothereweremanypresentationsbutnotmanypaperworks.Therefore,Imainlydidtheassessmentswithmyclassmates.Besides,therewerefinalexamsduringtheendofMarchtoAprilandformyownexperience,IjusthaveonefinalexamthatistowriteessayinsteadofmultiplechoicewhichisabitdifferentthanthatinHKUST.Sports&RecreationFacilities:TherearenotmuchsportsandrecreationfacilitiesastheschoolisabitsmallcomparedtoHKUSTandthereisnogymroom.So,ifyouwanttodoexercisesordogym,youprobablyneedtojointhemembershipforgymfacilitiesoutsidewhichisquitecostly.FinanceandBanking:TheexpensesincludemyaccommodationandallthetravelexpenseswouldbearoundHKD80000.Besides,Ididnotcreateanybankaccountthereasitiscomplicated,soImainlyusemyvisacreditcardtobookalltheticketsandaccommodationformytravelandIuseATMtheretotakeoutmoneywhichismoreconvenient.

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Health&Safety:ThereisacompulsoryFrenchstudentinsurancewehavetoregisterasastudentinSKEMA.Ratherthanthat,youcanalsobuytravelinsuranceyourselfjusttobesecure.AsweonlyautomaticallyboughtthetravelinsurancefromHKUST,butitdoesnotincludemanyprotectionsandsmallamountofclaimvalue.Forsafety,actuallyAntibes,JuanlePinsandNicearequiteasafetyplaceandmostpeoplehereareveryniceandwelcome.However,mostoftheshopsandrestaurantherecloseataround5-6pmandsotherewillbenotmuchpeopleonthestreet.Andsometimes,therearecourseslasteduntil8pmwhichwasverylate,soyoumayneedtostayalertandbecarefulwhenyoubackhomeatthattime.Butallinall,itwasquitesafeinsouthFrance.TheonlythingthatyoumustbecarefulistravellingtoothercountriesinEurope,especiallyinSpain,PortugalandParis.Sincetherearemanytheftsonthestreetandyouhavetowatchforyourpocketsmostofthetime.Food:Ionlyateonceatcanteenontheorientationdayandit’ssofarsogoodforthecanteenfood.It’saround3eurperlunchtherewhichincludeabreadorsaladasstarter,amaindishandyogurtorfruitasdessert.Butinordertosavecost,Imostlypreparedlunchmyselfathomeastherearemicrowavesatschools,soit’sconvenienttopreparemealsyourself.Besides,thereisalsoasnackshopforstudentstobuysomelightmeals,likesandwichesandotherbakeryfood.Andthecostisaround2-3eur.So,theseareallthechoicesofmealsatschool.Transportation:ThereisadirectbusofLine100ofEnvibusfromAntibestoSKEMA.AndyoucanapplyabuspassfromthebusofficewhichisneartheAntibesBusTerminusthatcostyouonly5eurtogotoschoolunlimitedlyforthewholesemester.Remembertobringyourpassport,apassportphotoandacceptanceletterfortheapplication.Thewholeprocesstakesveryfast,like10minutes,andtheywillgiveyouthecarddirectlywithyourphotoinserted.Besides,justtoremind,theline100onlyoperatesonMon-Fri,soitmaynotbeapplicableifyouhaveclassesonSat,thenyouwillhavetotakeLine1instead.IfyouliveatNiceandnotsureforthetransportationtoschool,youcanalsowatchtheinformationfromtheUSBthatgivetoyouontheorientationday.Climate:TheclimatethereissimilartoHongKongasthewinterinNiceisnotverycoldwhicharound10-15degrees,soitisnotrecommendabletobringtoomanyjacketsandclothestothere.

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Communication:PeopletheredonotspeakwellEnglishwhiletheytendtouseFrench.So,sometimesitmayhardtochatwiththemeventheFrancestudents.However,itisnotabigproblemasmostpeoplethereareveryniceandhelpfulthattheyaresoeagertohelpyouevenwiththeirpoorEnglish.Andbodylanguageisdefinitelyausefultoolthere.

PARTIII–ItemstoBring

Checklists:Notebook PencilCase ATMcards SwimSuit MedicineCharger Eurosin

CashCabinsizedluggage

Winter&SummerClothes

Pillows

Sweater CopyofVisaandBirthCert

Smallhairdryer

CreditCards

PARTIV–UsefulLinksandContactsVISAApplication:http://www.consulfrance-hongkong.org/Visa-ApplicationSouthernFranceTourism:http://www.frenchriviera-tourism.com/UsefulsitetotravelinEurope:http://www.goeuro.com/LocalBuscompany(Envibus):http://www.envibus.fr/