Paris: the best semester I ever spent Past Review

By (Whitman College) - abroad from 01/16/2017 to 04/28/2017 with

IES Abroad: Paris - French Studies

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned that I can live in a big city, if it is one so populated with history and culture as Paris is. I also learned how to be more spontaneous, to not worry so much about what plan I had for my day, week, or life in general. My trip was absolutely worthwhile.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I was very nervous about taking all of my classes in French, but to my relief I adjusted fairly easily. The classes themselves were not very difficult, but the readings could take a fair bit of time, given that they were in French. The field trips that we took were extremely helpful, educational, and fun! I got to see first hand the artists, museums, and famous people that I was studying about in all of my classes.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The IES Paris French Studies staff was wonderful. They were kind, informative, and very helpful. Whenever problems arose, we knew we could go see any of the staff for help.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I had been expecting to have a bit more of a relationship with my host family than I ended up having, but I was still happy with my homestay. I was free to come and go whenever I needed to, and my host mother was extremely nice. I was located right near a metro station, so I had no trouble getting around. The one thing that I didn't love was that there were no cafés or inexpensive restaurants near my homestay (shocking, really, for Paris).

* Food:

I absolutely adored the food in Paris! I found several new dishes to make, and have been craving the French cheese, bread, and chocolate ever since I got back to the US. Every café, every restaurant, ever crepe stand was absolutely delicious. Don't get me wrong, you can find bad food in Paris, but it is usually in the fast food joints that you can find all over the world.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Because my program contained all American students, I didn't feel like I integrated very well with the local culture. However, I was able to take classes with Parisians, go out dancing in night clubs, and walk around the beautiful parks; I felt no lack of French culture around me at all times.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

Paris is like many other big cities. You have to be careful and cautious at all times. Pickpockets are huge, and they love to target tourists. You also want to be aware of yourself at all times, but especially at night. Don't walk home alone, try not to ride the metro at late hours, and be careful what information you give out. With all of the turmoil happening in the world right now, Paris saw its fair share while I was there. My program staff kept us well informed of everything from strikes to shootings, though, so I felt safe armed with the information they gave us.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

Although I would have loved to have met more French people and make more foreign connections, I had an amazing time meeting people from all over my country, learning to live like a Parisian, and experiencing firsthand so many of the subjects that I had studied since high school.

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)

Paris is a pretty expensive city, so plan accordingly. You want to budget enough so that you can really experience the cultural aspects without worrying too much about having enough money left over for the semester.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? Around $150-$175
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Buying food in grocery stores and making it at home will always be more cost effective. Be careful though, because sometimes their food items don't have as many preservatives as ours do in the US, so they can go bad faster.

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

All of our classes were conducted in French, and wherever you were in the center, you had to speak in French. All of the field trips were conducted in French as well. My homestay mother also didn't speak any English, so we spoke entirely in French with her.

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? Advanced
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? 320
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? Try to listen to songs in French, and just immerse yourself into the language. The accent can be tricky to understand at first, but if you just keep listening and trying to engage, it will get much better.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

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

Select all that apply

  • Americans
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? 0

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • The long list of opportunities to visit museums, monuments, or even other French regions
  • The introduction to French culture during orientation
  • Meeting wonderful people from around the US that I will keep in contact with for years to come
* What could be improved?
  • Teachers could be more organized and aware of what is happening with their students
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? How to efficiently travel in Europe; I spent several weekends exploring other countries, but ended up spending more money than I wished, simply because I didn't realize the longer I waited, the more train and plane tickets would cost.

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 Academic or Linguist
You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!