A breathtaking experience Past Review

By (University of Connecticut) - abroad from 12/01/2014 to 12/14/2014 with

UConn: Paris - UConn in Paris, France

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I was able to understand how to live in a big city, how to make my own decisions.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Course were very difficult but I was able to learn a lot

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Housing was great just a few negatives. Seldom hot water, kitchen's that never work, theft.

* Food:

The food there was amazing however very expensive.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Very integrated.. not too many people speak english there... force to speak the language and immerse in their culture.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

The safety was a lot better than I had expected. I was able to go out of the city at night and not feel threatened.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

Finances

* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Paris is very expensive!! $100/ week would only cover food for the week.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $210
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Cook as much as possible and don't waste money on alcohol.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

The program was very strict about speaking only french

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Intermediate
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Intermediate
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? French 3251
How many hours per day did you use the language?
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? Reading and watching french tv

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? 10+

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Being in Paris
  • The food
  • Meeting new people
* What could be improved?
  • Structure of learning
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? How expensive this program is.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Histoire de Paris

Course Department: French
Instructor: Mary Carol
Instruction Language:
Comments: The class was very challenging and it was not very helpful. The class was listed as a history course but all we did was talk about architecture. The class was very dysfunctional. We would go on tours which was nice but she would give vital information that was lost because we couldn't hear her through the traffic of the city.
Credit Transfer Issues: