Angers, my second home. Past Review
By Jessica N (French Language Teacher Education., Illinois State University) for
L'Universite Catholique de l'Ouest / Catholic University of the West: Angers - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
I definitely learned a great deal about the culture in France and I really loved it. I hope to come back and maybe teach English. I felt less stressed and more worried about appreciating the life around me and all the "petits plaisirs".
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. |
I felt the teaching methods were very practical. Most of the teachers gave the students lots of opportunities to speak which is great for learning a new language. They also developed somewhat of an American system there where there is office hours for students who need additional help.I feel I learned alot about french culture and that my french speaking skills have greatly improved. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The placement of students was done poorly. I feel there should be interviews done by the professors to test the speaking ability. I felt alot of students were placed in wrong levels based on one scan tron test. A lot of the professors agreed with me as well. Some students could speak rather fluently and their writing skills were good but they were in a 200 level class. Others had trouble with basic conjugation in a 400 level class. They were good about making sure that all the students were speaking french constantly and that the classes were well internationally integrated. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Another student from our university contacted one of the french professors if we could live together. We got a recommendation for one host family and we called the host university if we could live with them. They were absolutely incredible. They were extremely welcoming and had us eat meals with their extended family. They got us presents for our birthdays and made fresh bread everyday for breakfast. The host mom did our laundry each week, and they really made us feel like a family. I was really sad to leave them and they promised I'm welcome to stay if I'm ever back in France again. |
| * Food: |
I am allergic to dairy products and my host family would always make something else for me if there was cheese in the meal. They also didn't make meals with other things we didn't like. My roommate didn't like fish, so they avoided make meals with fish. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I really loved Mont St. Michel. I think its my favorite place. It had a magical feel to it. I hated all the stairs I climbed but the view was definitely worth it. The Bretagne area is very cute and welcoming of the english speaking cultures. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Just make sure you always have a travel buddy. Don't go off alone at night and you should be fine. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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? | About 200 dollars I think. Our host family charged us for meals, which was about 7 dollars for dinner. So 20 dollars per day in food for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Also I usually spent a little on the weekends for souvenirs or going out. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Try to save your money in the end for any emergencies. I once got on the wrong train to head back to the north of france but went farther south. I was still charged for heading back to the north after taking the wrong train. The trains are very expensive here. Without a pass, a ticket can cost up to 200 dollars. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Beginner |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | French 213 |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
I needed to use french on most day to day interactions. A couple times, if someone heard your accent they would try speaking english with you. I lived with a host family though who didn't speak english so it was a great way to practice the language. We ate dinner together 3 times a week, which I feel helped my speaking and comprehension skills a great deal. With the family you are relaxed and are able to freely say what you want and get corrected by the family. |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Direct Enrollment |
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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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | It is absolutely necessary to be open and flexible. If you are expecting things to be exactly at home you are wrong. There are a lot of similarities between our countries but there are also some differences. You need to be easy going and able to handle stressful situations. Someone is open to experience something new and make it their own is best for this type of situation. |
