Just arrived in Paris?
Want to meet new people?
Curious to know more about the city and its culture?
The aim of iConnect is to welcome and to support international students in Paris.
If you would like more information about who we are and what we do, keep on reading!
1. Who are we?
We are Christians who would like help international students during their stay in Paris. Whatever their nationality, religious background or beliefs, we want to welcome them and lend a hand as they integrate into life in France.
We are part of the GBU (Groupes Bibliques Universitaires), a student association present in most University cities in France. With the help of volunteers, we organise different social activities throughout the academic year.
With more than 61,000 international students coming to Paris each year for their studies, iConnect would like to provide them with the opportunity to meet other students, get to know French culture, and also discover the Christian faith.
2. What does the iConnect team do?
Our goal: give each international student the opportunity to meet other students in Paris, to get to know French culture, and to discover the Christian faith.
We organise activities such as:
- Cultural outings (Chinese New Year party, Christmas market outing…)
- Social activities (ice-skating…)
- Tours of Paris and its surrounding region
- Events in collaboration with the GBU
- The Buddy Exchange (to sign up for 2018-2019, follow the link). You can watch the YouTube video here.
We can also offer:
- Help with homework
- Help with French administrative procedures (filling out of forms, visa…)
- Language exchange (e.g. French-English, French-German…).
3. Why do we do all of this?
Living in a new country and getting to know a different culture is an exciting adventure!
But it can also be a source of stress for many international students, especially those who do not know anybody when they arrive or for those who find it difficult to understand the language of the host country. The experience of culture shock is different for each person, but it is easy for someone to feel foreign, isolated, or even frustrated.
We believe that the life of an international student could be so much better lived, if the student feels welcome in France and if they receive the help they need. The iConnect team, in partnership with the GBU, want to come alongside every international student so that he can have an unforgettable Parisian experience!
4. Let’s stay connected!
You can contact with us via email: iconnect@gbu.fr
Via Facebook: www.facebook.com/internationalstudentsparis
We look forward to meeting you!