La France: Friend or Foe? A Little of Both! Past Review
By Lindsey S (French/International Economics, Valparaiso University) for
Boston University: Paris - Internship Program
On one hand, learned that being a foreigner can be more frusterating than fun, learned that misunderstandings are fact of life, specifically within the context of a foreign culture... On the other hand, learned that the most fundamental of human experience and emotion surpass any language or culture barrier....
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I found all of the above to be extremely satisfactory. All of my professors were deeply engaging, and though the courses were challenging, I found it helpful that the level of language and difficulty were taken into account and as a result all grades were translated into the American system... |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
I personally found services and answers highly accessible! |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I was quite lucky in the fact that I not only had an incredibly hospitable and warm host family (they made sure I had everything I needed and invited me to family functions), but was also profited from being in a lively neighborhood, where I was neither far from class nor nightlife. Not everyone had such luck! |
| * Food: |
While my personal cooking was subpar, I was lucky enough to get delicious and copious meals with my host parents. Our program also offered a cooking class one Saturday from which I picked up a few tricks. Food is expensive in Paris, but careful deal-hunting and shopping at cheap and bi-weekly markets can save you some cash! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Thoroughly enjoyed cooking class, and various trips to the Musée de vin and other Paris attractions, and various soirées (i.e. American Thanksgiving) organized throughout the city just for us. Thoughtful and well-executed! |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
As the majority of crime in Paris seems to be petty theft, I'd say as long as you use common sense and keep your wits (and purse) about you, you shouldn't really have any problems. The U.S. embassy came to give us a safety seminar which was actually very interesting and informative. Don't respond to the young girls asking you to sign things and don't fall for the string trick! |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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Finances
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* 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) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Plan for between 50 and euros a week, at least! Paris is an expensive city! |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | If you're staying in France for more than 4 months, look into applying for a year-long student metro pass, which although it entails procuring a packet from the ticket desk, filling it out, and mailing it out, ends up being much cheaper than the monthly metro pass we were advised to buy! |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | 351 French Literature & History |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
Practiced with fellow students, teachers, and host family. At our university center, we were expected to use French at all times. In everyday interactions, mostly French was spoken as well. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | One who is adventurous, tenacious, and open to new people, new culture, language, and experience! |
