An eye-opening experience Past Review
By A student (Business and Psychology, Brandeis University) - abroad from 01/07/2013 to 04/25/2013 with
Boston University: Paris - Internship Program
The friends I made and the situations I encountered during my internship allowed me to broaden my perspective and learn more about myself in a working environment. It was definitely a worthwhile experience.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
|
* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Due to the nature of the courses, their objectives, and the time constraint, the courses were not very demanding. The constant number of small assignments and amount of preparation that needed to be done before each class were very time-consuming and not necessarily academically challenging. However, the small classes allowed every single student to engage and participate fully in the discussions. |
|
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The staff members of the administration were very friendly, attentive and accessible. For example, they were active on their Facebook page in suggesting events to attend and they sent us email reminders to watch out for the protests. |
|
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I could not have been luckier living with a pleasant, hands-off lady in an a cozy, comfortable apartment that had a perfect view of the Eiffel Tower, was only a 2-minute walk away from the BU building and a 5-minute walk from a metro station that connects to three different lines. |
| * Food: |
Eating out in Paris can be very expensive, but there are an infinite number of hidden gems in small alleys that are worth the effort to find and try out. As for buying groceries, there are numerous options ranging from the biweekly outdoors market to lower-end supermarkets that carry their own generic products. Regardless of your budget, restaurants in Paris come in practically all cuisines and prices. |
|
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I never felt fully integrated with the local culture. Being in a relatively small program and only taking classes with American students made it difficult to meet and engage with local people; however, the internship portion of the program really helped balance that out. |
|
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
No, there were no prevalent health issues in Paris and I did not need any vaccines specifically for this program. |
| * Safety: |
Paris is a pretty safe city, but the pickpockets are extra skillful. Always be wary of your belongings, try not to expose your valuables in public places (especially taking your phone out on the table, even at Starbucks) and if possible, distance yourself from large crowds. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
|
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) |
Being in Europe and more specifically, in Paris, with good food and tons of shopping on every street, made it extremely difficult to live on a student's budget. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | around $150/week |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Plan your weekend trips to other cities in Europe ahead of time when plane tickets are much cheaper. |
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? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | FREN106 |
| 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? | Do not hang out in large groups outside of school because it is harder to mingle with and meet local people, and thus harder to practice French. |
Other Program Information
|
* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
|
| 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? |
|
| * What could be improved? |
|
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Do not worry too much about completing every single assignment to the best of your ability. Take advantage of your weekends instead, and explore Paris, other parts of France, and other cities in Europe. |
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 Outright UrbaniteA social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country. |
