Switzerland is Special. Past Review
By Sarah S (French, Truman State University) for
ISEP Exchange: Lausanne - Exchange Program at Université de Lausanne
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. |
The grading system is a lot different from the American educational system. For one thing, it's a whole lot easier to fail here and a heck of a lot harder to have a perfect score. Overall, I felt like I learned more in my year abroad than I did in the three years that I will have spent at my American university. I feel like there is more value in the work that I've done here than at home. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Everything is expensive in Switzerland. |
| * Food: |
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| * Safety: |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
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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) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Switzerland is expensive. Housing: 470 CHF/month, Insurance: 80 CHF/month, Groceries: 35-50 CHF/week, Transportation: 60 CHF/month, Dining Hall: 50 CHF/week. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | The high price of transportation. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | I had nearly completed my undergraduate degree in French, so 400-level. |
| Language acquisition improvement? |
This is Switzerland we're speaking about, not France; I'd say that 90 percent of the population speaks English. However, I used the host language as my principal mode of communication. All of my flat-mates spoke with me in French. |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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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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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | A student who is self-motivated, goal-oriented, and willing to work. |
