Grenoble! Grenoble! Wooo! Grenoble! Past Review

By (French Language and Literature., Berea College) - abroad from 09/02/2013 to 12/20/2013 with

AIFS: Grenoble - University of Grenoble - French Language and Culture and Intensive French Language

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I gained more confidence in French, more independence, and making unforgettable friends.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The director did a great job throughout my whole time abroad! I really can't think of anything negative about her. She's really nice and very organized!

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Everything with my housing was great! I had a room to myself, my own toilet, and my own bathroom. It was also very clean because they have their own cleaner. The program also puts a lot of effort into putting you into a household based on your preferences (prefer to live with a single mother, are allergic to cats, etc.)

* Food:

Excellent! I miss it everyday. If there was something I never heard of, I didn't hesitate to try it. My family also ate very healthily (more greens than meat). Also, the program accommodates to your dietary restrictions, if you have any.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I learned a lot about the culture! The program took us to local events (sporting events, cultural activities, etc.) so that we could see how the people lived.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I didn't have to use their healthcare while I was abroad. My host father is a doctor, so when I got the shingles he was nice enough to just buy the medication I needed for me.

* Safety:

I can't think of an instance where safety was an issue for people in the program. Our director always emphasized safety to us as well. Grenoble is a relatively safe city, though there were a couple of dangerous instances that popped up in the news. A bus driver was severely beaten by a group of people at Echirolles, a sector in south Grenoble. My advice would be to not go to this part of the city.

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)

I lived easily on a student's budget. I usually pulled out 80 Euros every 2 weeks.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? About 30 Euros. I went to the building's cafeteria because it was closer, but a person can also go to the university's cafeteria and spend less
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Keep to your budget! If you run out of money you'll be in hot water!

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

My classes were in French, my host family spoke French (and survivable English), and just everyone speaks French. You will speak French only if you want to speak French. There was one student in my group who spoke nothing but English, but another who spoke nothing but French. It's really up to you to do so.

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 320
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? Grenoble has free newspapers if you're wanting to improve your reading and you can talk and listen all the time with your host family (my host mother talked a lot..).

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

  • Americans
  • International Students
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?
  • The excursion to Provence
  • My host family
  • My director
* What could be improved?
  • Perhaps tweak the classes a bit
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I knew my budget more. I probably should have studied it more thoroughly, but that was my fault, not the program's.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

French Language

Course Department: French
Instructor: Anne Didelot
Instruction Language: French
Comments: It was a good course, however the professor at times was difficult. She was always late and was a lot of the times stressed (though she claims it's because she does administrative work as well).
Credit Transfer Issues: Depending on your school, AIFS could be affiliated with it so you won't have to worry about transferring credits!
Course Name/Rating:

History from 1789-1914

Course Department: History
Instructor: Patrice Terrone
Instruction Language: French
Comments: Very good course! I learned a lot about French history, and the professor is really nice!
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Translation (English-French, French-English)

Course Department: French
Instructor: Valérie Fortunado
Instruction Language: French
Comments: The professor is really nice, but she had a hard time keeping what we were learning on track. Unfortunately the professor who originally taught the course died just before the semester started, so we didn't have class for almost a month and therefore there was a lot we didn't learn. I applaud Prof. Fortunado for taking over.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

French Culture and Society

Course Department: French
Instructor: Béatrice Morelle
Instruction Language: French
Comments: I learned things in this class, but it was hard to do so. I don't feel that the professor taught it very well. She didn't take care of the faulty microphone she used, so it was hard to hear her. Also, I really didn't like her PowerPoint presentations because everything on them was scattered.
Credit Transfer Issues: