Paris: Hard to Summarize in a Review Past Review

By (Government, The University of Texas at Austin) for

AIFS: Paris - Cours de Civilisation Française de la Sorbonne

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
It was fun and memorable, but it did get frustrating at times. I loved it and I hated it. But the friendships I took away from my semester abroad made the experience definitely worth it.

Personal Information

If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: College International de Cannes, La Sorbonne, Institute Catholique de Paris
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.

Academics were the weakest part of the program. Classes were painfully easy, which is good for some students, but incredibly mind-numbing for others.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

They were always available if I ever needed anything. They always tried to get us to do cultural events. The only problem I had was that there were limited events and often the sign-up list filled up before I had the opportunity to sign it. I had very little issues with the on-site administration.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

My home stay was arranged by my program. It a bit further away from my friends but still in a nice part of the Paris. Mostly everything was included. I was the only person in my program to have my own kitchen. My host-family was incredibly nice and engaging.

* Food:

Food is expensive. Anticipate eating a lot of crepes and paninis.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Our trips to various museums were great and enlightening.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

Any big city will have safety risks. The best thing you can do is travel in numbers and try not to stand out too much. I never used the healthcare system so I don't have any comments about it.

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)

Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Food is expensive! And so is alcohol. Anticipate how much you will be spending on alcohol and budget accordingly.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? None
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? None
If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition?

Language acquisition improvement?

I could practice with my host family. I used French sometimes when I was in public--usually at a restaurant or a shop.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans

A Look Back

* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? If you want to party in Paris for 4 months, then this is the program for you.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Fashion in France: From the Sun King to 21st Century

Course Department:
Instructor: Thierry Herselin
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Fantastic! Very informative and interesting. I would highly recommend this course.
Credit Transfer Issues: No.
Course Name/Rating:

Civilization, Literature, and the Parisian Landscape

Course Department:
Instructor: Anne Galichon
Instruction Language: English
Comments: It was very interesting, though not very academically rigorous.
Credit Transfer Issues: No.
Course Name/Rating:

Franco-American Relations

Course Department:
Instructor: Anne Galichon
Instruction Language: English
Comments: It was very easy. The instructor tried to make it as fun as possible. I enjoyed it overall.
Credit Transfer Issues: No.
Course Name/Rating:

Cours Pratiques

Course Department: 10HIV-DEB-09
Instructor: Vincenot
Instruction Language: French
Comments: It moved very slowly and there was too much busy work. I would've enjoyed it better had it been more challenging.
Credit Transfer Issues: No.