Paris is a Memory for the Decades to come Past Review
By Tyler Benavides (University of Illinois - Chicago) - abroad from 05/22/2017 to 06/30/2017 with
IES Abroad: Paris Summer – Marketing
The best thing that I gained from my experience abroad was the sense of personal growth that I never would have been able to cultivate by staying in the U.S., so it was certainly worthwhile. I had never lived alone before or traveled alone; I was forced to rely on myself for 6 weeks. It was one of the most fun parts of growing up I've ever had to navigate.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
There was not a single bump in the road during my time in Paris. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The administration was effective and not confusing. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I had a studio apartment which was clean and functioning, and had a decent view of outside at other buildings. |
| * Food: |
We were responsible for getting our own food. The grocery stores had healthy options and the restaurants were exquisite. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
IES had many activities (visiting castles, Monet's gardens, touring perfumeries, etc.) to get students integrated with the local culture, and it was an overall success. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I did not experience any health issues while abroad. |
| * Safety: |
Incidents did occur while in Paris where IES had to notify students of which areas were unsafe and needed to be stayed away from. IES was prompt in timing and efficiency when notifying us of incidents. No one was in any actual danger while in Paris, as it is a generally safe city. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
This program executed a clear view of the global marketing world that not many other programs offered. It was an educational experience that I would consider to be highly valuable, and I still find myself using what I learned in Paris in my classes back at my home institution. |
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) |
Paris is one of the more expensive cities in Europe, so food and fun activities are not cheap. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $150 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Shop at the grocery store instead of eating at restaurants, and order water when eating out because drinks add up in the long run. |
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 |
My professor was very adamant about students only speaking in French with them while class was in session. |
| 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? | AP French |
| 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? | Start out by listening to locals having conversations so you get an idea of what the language sounds like and what its patterns are. Then, go out and simply practice by interacting with store employees or waiters in restaurants, or basically anywhere! |
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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| 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? |
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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? | I wish I didn't waste so much time worrying about not making any friends or that I wouldn't know how to get around the city effectively. Learning the city happened so quickly, and all the people I met in my program were in the same boat as me so there was no need to worry! |
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. |
