Travel a lot and don't do nothing Past Review
By Finlay McCracken (Trinity University) - abroad from 01/03/2017 to 05/10/2017 with
IES Abroad: Nantes - French Language Immersion & Area Studies
I became a much more mature person. I travelled a lot, and had to plan things all on my own. I saw and did so many things. I would absolutely do it again, and regret that I do not have the opportunity to.
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. |
There is something for almost everyone. If you're a sciences major, you might have some difficulty finding something in your major, but I wasn't so it wasn't a problem for me. It's nice to be able to take courses at the Fac (University of Nantes) and at the center. I didn't really like one of my courses (Union européenne) but the rest of my courses, especially Histoire de religion en France, were great. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
I had no problems at all, but when I was sick and missed classes, the administration took care of me. They also helped me navigate talking to professors at the Fac (profs in France are much less approachable than US profs). |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I loved my host family, and we still write emails and skype with each other. |
| * Food: |
Great food in Nantes, easy to get to. Host mom cooked up tons of great stuff. I'd recommend L'Étoile de l'Orient (a Vietnamese place) on Rue Rousseau, the paninis at Viennoisserie Graslin, that hole in the wall friterie in Place de Commerce (next to the movie theatre), and Crêperie Ker Breizh (or Crêperie Duchesse Anne). I thought France would be expensive to eat, but it's really not, because the rest of France is not Paris. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I felt pretty integrated. I had French friends that I would hang out with, as well as Americans. The program does its best to introduce you to French people and tell you about French stuff, but it's really up to you to put yourself out there and be social if that's what you want. There's a bar near the Hôtel de Ville that hosts an international student night every week, too, if you want to meet non-French non-American students. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I don't really know what to put here. I brought medicines from home, and used them to take care of myself when I was sick. I didn't really have any needs. |
| * Safety: |
Nantes is really safe. Sometimes there are protests which can get out of hand, but you don't need to worry about your safety. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I loved Nantes. It was a wonderful city, and I was glad to not be in Paris. The program was well-run and helpful, and I had a great time travelling around the region and meeting people. |
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) |
I didn't spend money very much in the US, and I had a summer job that paid well, so I had a lot saved up. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $300 and I travelled almost every weekend |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | If you intend to travel AT ALL using SNCF, buy a Carte Jeune. It costs 50 euros, but it gives you a 30% discount on SNCF tickets for the entire year. A round-trip ticket to Paris is about 160 euros without the Carte Jeune, so even if you only go to Paris once, it's worth buying the Carte. Alternatively, you could just take the bus, which is very slow, but much cheaper. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
They were like "only speak French" |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Advanced |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Fluent |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Advanced Grammar |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | 10+ |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Speak French with anyone who will listen to you, watch French news, read French books and newspapers. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| 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? |
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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? | Five months feels so short |
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 Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
