Lyon: a great city for students Past Review
By Madeline P (French and English, Tulane University) for
Lyon II et L'Institut des Etudes Politique: Lyon - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
Yes, my french vastly improved and I met many new and interesting people. It hasn't changed my academic plan, although I would like to be able to travel more in the future. I feel as if I have a better understanding of the french people- you can't reach the same level of understanding by studying France from a classroom in America. It was a valuable experience too add to my college education.
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. |
My french vastly improved, but I spent very little time in the classroom. It was hard to study because there were no assignments, just one or two tests for each subject. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
I'm glad I was able to take classes in french, with other French students and French professors. But the administration itself was awful. The people in charge of the International students were not helpful and often gave us contradictory information. I often felt lost and confused trying to figure out administrative details, such as enrolling in the university, choosing classes, and dealing with my residence. It was very difficult to accomplish simple things. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I wish I could have lived with a host family in Lyon, but it wasn't an available choice. The dorms were located far away from the university and basic necessities like grocery stores, and they were very old and uncomfortable. |
| * Food: |
I made most of my own food, but the food in France is very good. It was reasonably priced to shop at the grocery and make meals at home. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
watch out for pickpockets, make sure you lock your door every time you're away from your room (if you're in a dorm). I did not use any form of healthcare while I was abroad. |
| 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? | I spent between 250 and 400 dollars for each trip I took (from 2 to 5 days). Weekly expenses in France were between 100 and 200 dollars per week. (transportation, groceries, drinks out with friends, smaller expenses like laundry). It's possible to live on a student budget, although France is an expensive country in general. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Try to make sure you understand exactly what insurance you need to buy and what fees you need to pay to enroll in university, cell phone is expensive, there are some public transportation costs |
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? | Second year |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
I practiced the language every day, in school and in interactions of everyday life, (not many people in my city spoke English). |
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? | A decent level of experience with french is important, because the classes are all in french. A student who wants to improve their french and have an intense cultural immersion would benefit from this program. |
