Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Abroad isn't easy but it's worth it Past Review

By (Wellesley College) - abroad from 01/03/2018 to 05/09/2018 with

Wellesley College: Aix-en-Provence - Wellesley-in-Aix

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Big question. Woah. It was a good experience to expand my comfort zone, Aix was beautiful, and my French improved so much.

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.

Academically, the challenges were language and learning a new national university system. I did not find any of my course material particularly interesting or engaging, but I also found that having easier courses allowed me the time to really focus on learning the language, grammar, and speaking practice without having to spend too much time on course content.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Amazing. Monique and Magali were always responsive, welcoming, personable, and made the transition to living in France as smooth as possible.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I loved my host family, and they were incredibly generous and welcoming - I ate almost every meal with them, and they included me on any and all weekend adventures and family events. I had my own room and shared a bathroom with the family. There were normal challenges that came with living with an unfamiliar family, but overall it was a very positive experience.

* Food:

My family was generous and i ate breakfast and lunch with them every day. The food was always fresh and locally grown, although I found there was very little variety - we tended to eat the same few dishes on repeat all semester. But it was good quality and there was always enough. (my mother just happens to cook with a lot of spice and variety, so my expectations were a little different)

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I was involved with a local church, where I participated in the college ministry and got to know many local families. I also volunteered in a local elementary school to help teach English, and spent a lot of time with my host family and their friends and extended family. Obviously, I felt a bit like a foreigner the entire semester, but really was able to build meaningful relationships. I had no involvement at the fac outside of showing up for classes, so that was the one area I felt was lacking - meeting more local french students (my friends tended to be mostly international, although from Europe)

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

no problems,

* Safety:

I always felt safe in Aix, and I walked and took the bus everywhere. No incidents all semester - and I would frequently walk home past 11pm.

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

Well run, well organized, made figuring out the details of living abroad as easy as possible.

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)

If you're only buying food and daily expenses around Aix, it's quite easy to make it on $50/week. If you're traveling that obviously adds up; I used only buses, trains, and blabla car my entire semester in Aix, so I didn't find travel to be prohibitively expensive. But yes, Aix is not exactly cheap.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 40-60 euro?
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Stay in hostels instead of Airbnb. take Flixbus. blabla car is actually GREAT. plan ahead; meal prep for your lunches like you would in your apartment back in the states. Keep your "student" not "tourist" mentality.

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

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? Advanced
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? French 308 at Wellesley
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? TAKE NOTES. keep a little notebook with you and write down words and phrases that you learn. if you hear a word/sentence/question that you don't understand, ASK someone to repeat it!! Be willing to speak up in class, knowing you will make mistakes, because that's how you learn. Learning French HAS to be a constant effort; it will not "just happen" to you. you have to be actively engaging the entire time.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

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

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Language exposure
  • Host family
  • Associated with Wellesley
* What could be improved?
  • n/a
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? n/a

Reasons For Studying Abroad

To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you.
The Academic or Linguist
You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!