This summer, the Association du Tutorat Santé Montpellier (ATSM) published a guide for international students. Available to read from a link we've provided at the foot of the article, this guide covers many essential points about settling in France, as well as a host of tips that may prove useful when embarking on healthcare studies.
Settling in a foreign country is never easy, especially when you don't know what to do and what assistance is available. This guide is intended to provide information, to help international students get off to a good start.
What's more, as health studies are particularly demanding, it goes without saying that a good installation makes it easier for anyone embarking on these courses, bearing in mind that many of our students in Montpellier's health courses have spent part of their school or university career elsewhere than in France.
The International Student Guide is not intended to be exhaustive. However, ATSM's Vice-President in charge of Health, Social Services and Support (VP SSA) is available to answer any questions about the guide via her e-mail address: vpssa.atsm@gmail.com.
This guide consists of several parts:
- administrative procedures,
- practical life, especially in Montpellier,
- the first year in healthcare: testimonials and contact with international student associations.
ATSM makes this guide available via the following drive link: https: //drive.google.com/drive/folders/1QXf8MjVjjReJHWh94jjCszPElRBwk4Pe?usp=sharing
In July, via the ACM exchange center, 13 students had the opportunity to fly to Togo as part of a solidarity project for an association working to rehabilitate a school. A film was shown to mark the end of the International Solidarity Project! A look back.
How was your trip?
The trip went wonderfully well. We obviously had a lot of fears, since although the project was conceived 3 years ago, it never came to fruition because of the health crisis. We were therefore the first to leave, but the trip went off without a hitch, whether in terms of the pre-project (fund-raising, scholarships, tombola, etc.), safety, relations with the Togolese volunteers, the children, the work site, etc. Our arrival was also well prepared by our local partner association Espace Hotsi, who accompanied us from our arrival at the airport to our departure, managing our accommodation, meals, transport, etc.
What were your missions?
Our main mission was to help renovate 4 kindergarten/primary school classrooms and latrines. Our support began with a financial contribution, as we financed the materials and volunteers (around 3800 euros). Secondly, we provided human support by building up additional manpower on the site.
In the afternoons, we organized games and workshops with volunteer village children (painting, dodgeball, etc.). We also attended the school's end-of-year results ceremony. We also took the opportunity to donate the school equipment needed for the start of the 2022 school year to the pupils, thus ensuring equal opportunities for all, since not all children have the means to pay for the equipment required.
What have you put in place?
The project involved renovation of the staircases (masonry), roof, gutters and paintwork (we sanded and repainted the exterior and interior walls).
Have you encountered any complications you weren't expecting?
We can't say we were faced with any real complications. We had prepared ourselves to be bothered by the different hygiene, but in the end we adapted quite quickly (adaptation is quick when you have no choice). What surprised us most of all was the children's autonomy, from a very early age (sometimes a 5-year-old can carry and look after his 1-year-old brother). We were also able to observe the cultural difference when it comes to romantic relationships and their conceptualization. Apart from the culture shock inherent in this kind of experience, we didn't really encounter any major complications. It's simply a question of adapting to all aspects of life in a country where the way of life is the opposite of what we know in Europe.
Before your trip, you got in touch with Médecin du Monde. How did you go about raising awareness?
Indeed, we had an initial contact with Médecin du Monde, who were very keen to accompany us on this adventure, but unfortunately after several reminders we heard nothing from them. We had therefore prepared some awareness-raising sessions, but on the ground the practice was much less straightforward than we had expected. Firstly, because the children don't all speak French well, depending on their age (they learn French at school, as it's the country's official language). They were also keen to play with us and do physical activities. The disparity of the group didn't allow us to carry out our awareness-raising activities as we had hoped. This aspect of the mission is therefore an area for improvement for next year.
What impact has the experience had on you?
This is a difficult question. I think it took each of us some time to "digest" what we had experienced. We wouldn't presume to say that this trip has changed us completely, and that we're new people now. But this experience has certainly left its mark and brought us a lot from a human point of view. It's sometimes interesting to "get slapped in the face", and we can say that it was a real cultural, social and human whirlwind that we experienced. On our return, as medical students at the Montpellier-Nîmes Faculty, we're still caught up in our daily routine, but there's not a day goes by when I don't think about that trip to Togo. I don't know if this experience will make me a better person, or improve my practice as a future doctor, but it certainly gave me something.
What's your assessment?
I'm pleased to be able to say that the outcome of this mission is extremely positive. Of course, we can improve on the management of the departure beforehand, the management of money on site (withdrawal difficulties), and the preparation and adaptation of awareness-raising. But the fact alone that we have successfully completed the mission is a success. What's more, we're certain of the usefulness of our action, since we're in contact with Étienne, the school principal, who regularly sends us videos of the children having classes in their newly renovated building. We're sure we'll be able to continue the project, and do our utmost to improve on this year's little mishaps.
Do you have any new projects?
The new Vice-Presidents in charge of exchanges at the Association Carabine Montpelliéraine recently presented this year's new project to the medical students, which involves going back to Togo with the association Espace HOTSI. Indeed, we are convinced that the continuity of this mission is essential for another year. The form of the project remains the same (renovation work, construction, educational support, etc.), while the content has yet to be defined with the new Med'Trotters team, which will soon be selected.
Discover the Med'Trotters adventure on video!
The AD@lY association and the Faculty are honored to welcome His Excellency Mr. DINH Toan Thang, Vietnamese Ambassador to France, on Tuesday June 14.
The program
Did you know? This year, the ACM exchange program is organizing an international solidarity mission to Togo! 13 students will have the opportunity to fly out in July to join an association working to rehabilitate a school. Interview.
Who are you?
We are Anouk Evrard and Claire Boin. Currently DFGSM3 students at the Faculty, we are also elected to the ACM. Our role as VP Exchange is to facilitate international exchanges (whether for incoming or outgoing students) or interCHU exchanges (exchanges between CHUs during the summer internship).
New this year is the international solidarity project we've named "Med'Trotter"!
Can you tell us more about the Med'Trotter project?
Med'Trotter is a project that was born in the mind of Camille Borne, our former VP Exchange, in 2019. Unfortunately, due to the health crisis, the project didn't come to fruition, which is why we've decided to bring it back this year!
In concrete terms, this is a project in conjunction with "Espace Hotsi". This Togolese association organizes renovation projects to improve the quality of life of local residents.
This year, the aim is to spend a month helping this association with the renovation of a school in Wli, near Tsévié.
How are you going to help Espace Hotsi?
With elbow grease! For one month, we'll be helping members of the association to renovate 4 classrooms and the sanitary facilities. This is very important because the school teaches kindergarten through to primary school, so it will benefit many children.
As it's very hot in Togo, we'll only be able to be on site in the mornings. We therefore plan to run workshops with the children and villagers in the afternoons. We've come up with several themes around art, drawing, sculpture, sport, singing, dancing and gardening! Of course, we'll also be helping out with tutoring and awareness-raising activities. To do this, we've taken inspiration from the actions we can carry out during our health services. We've also got in touch with Médecins du Monde, so that they can advise us on the most appropriate way of raising awareness. We really want to do things right.
And in the evenings, we'll be holding evening parties. We want to share our stories, cultures and traditions with the local population.
How can we help you realize this wonderful project?
This project requires a budget of 24,000 euros. These expenses are divided between the workcamp itself, the school and gardening equipment we need for the workshops, and, of course, transport, accommodation and medical expenses for the 13 medical students who are leaving!
To raise this money, we have already applied for a grant from FSDIE, which we have obtained. It will enable us to finance the trip of 5 of the 13 students who will be going. We have also applied for a grant from CROUS, JSI (Jeunesse Solidarité Internationale donated by Fonjep) and the département. We are awaiting the results.
Our last card is self-financing. To this end, we have set up the "TOGO Stand", which we set up once a month at the Faculty. Our aim is to sell snacks and, above all, second-hand clothes to finance our trip.
You can help us by donating unwanted clothes at the Corpo premises and/or by buying clothes you like when the stand is set up! There's no waste: clothes that aren't too worn out are given back during the "maraudes" organized by ACM's ISS department!
We've also set up a fund for anyone who would like to make a donation.
Finally, we're organizing a tombola in April! All you have to do is buy a ticket from the corpo. The draw will take place at our Togo stand on April 21! Pins will also be on sale for the occasion, so don't forget to come and see us and follow us on our instagram account: @med_trotter !
In brief
