Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Paris is sure gloomy in the winter, but lovely in the spring! Past Review

By (Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication., The University of Texas at Austin) for

IES Abroad: Paris - Business & International Affairs

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
The things that you learn about life, the world and yourself are inexplicable, and different for every person in every location. Do it for yourself, and you won't regret i.

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.

It was really different to be in such small classrooms and to always know everyone is your classes. UT is such a large school, so those two things were so foreign to me. The workload was moderate and manageable.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

I found the staff to be AMAZING. No bad words to be said. They felt like family by the end of the program, and I think the experience would have been very negatively impacted without them.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I was treated wonderfully by my host family. The neighborhood was very safe and residential. It was a bit far from class though, I would say at 30 minute commute each way-- and was not near the active nightlife hubs in town.

* Food:

I'm not a picky eater, so I really loved trying new foods.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

We went to Geneva, Switzerland with class

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

Typical safety issues of a big international 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)

Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? nothing I can think of

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? Beginning French II
If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition?

Language acquisition improvement?

My French teacher and students in the program, my host family, French native speakers. I used French in everyday interactions and most people will not speak to you in English.

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

A Look Back

* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? be able to work independently and make friends with all types of people- and most importantly, be open minded

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Art History
Course Department:
Instructor: Anne Catherine Abbecassis
Instruction Language: English
Comments:
Credit Transfer Issues: A bit unorganized and all over the place. I prefer straightforward information and details, and I failed to get that from this course. However, it was amazing to have classes in museums all over Paris. I was able to see things in Paris that I would have never seen without this class.
Course Name/Rating:

International Political Economy
Course Department:
Instructor: Elizabeth Sheppard
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This was the best course I took. I learned SO much and the format of the class worked very well with my learning style. Elizabeth was a terrific professor who taught me more than I could have imagined! It was challenging, but I loved this course.
Credit Transfer Issues: No
Course Name/Rating:

Intermediate French II
Course Department:
Instructor:
Instruction Language: French
Comments: It was pretty challenging for me because I had never taken a French class where there was hardly any English spoken. The field trips were not the best. We were being told a lot of information and it was hard to hear and keep up when we were constantly running around Paris. I participated about the same amount as if I were at my own university.
Credit Transfer Issues: Not as of now!