The Year I decided to move to Paris Past Review

By A student (Middlebury College) - abroad from 08/25/2016 to 12/16/2016 with

Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Paris

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

I loved my host family and got to experience their culture. I realize that a lot of my life in America is in a bubble of the northeast United States and after abroad I am excited to broaden my horizons

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?
* Food:
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	Hard to befriend French students, but I met some toward the end
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?
* Safety:	I was safe but there was political tension. Once the police had to blow up a mysterious package outside my classroom and no one was notified so when we heard the sound we thought something was going on. Luckily it was just a precaution.
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	Yes I had no choice of program. But I also loved that I had rigorous schoolwork and was expected to learn French fluently

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)
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	$100
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	Cook at home

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	Required to speak in French at all times
How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program?	Advanced
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program?	Fluent
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure?	Middlebury French language schools
How many hours per day did you use the language?	10+
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants?	Immerse and try to speak as much as you can in the language as incomfortable as it may seem

Other Program Information

* Where did you live? Select all that apply	Host Family
* Who did you live with? Select all that apply	Host Family
* Who did you take classes with? Select all that apply	Local Students International Students
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?	French language Host family Freedom
* What could be improved?	grading system (stressed about grades too much) Integration with French students Host family matching (I loved my host family but some of my friends didn't like theirs)
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	It is psychologically stressful to speak in your second language all the time... I wish I knew that I would get an internship so I didn't stres so much about grades

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 Urbanite A 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.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	Harry potter
Course Department:	Literature
Instructor:	François Comba
Instruction Language:	French
Comments:	Very challenging because I am not a literature major.
Credit Transfer Issues:	I don't know yet because I have not gotten the grade

Course Name/Rating:	French language and grammar
Course Department:	French
Instructor:	Patrick Guédon
Instruction Language:	French
Comments:	Sort of challenging but useful because it was open time to ask questions about the language
Credit Transfer Issues:	I don't think so

Course Name/Rating:	History of European Construction
Course Department:	Sciences politique
Instructor:	Marion gaillard
Instruction Language:	French
Comments:	Challenging because of new methodology but the professor was great
Credit Transfer Issues:	I hope not

Course Name/Rating:	Francafrique
Course Department:	Sciences politiques
Instructor:	Boniface Mongno
Instruction Language:	French
Comments:	It was not a very challenging class but it was interactive and interesting. I learned a lot from other students presentations
Credit Transfer Issues:	I have not tried yet because I have not received all my grades yet. But it has been approved in the past

Course Name/Rating:	Contemporary French politics
Course Department:	Sciences politiques
Instructor:	Dominique reynié
Instruction Language:	French
Comments:	Challenging but interesting. The professor was an expert in pppulism so we compared the rise of populism in different countries and continents
Credit Transfer Issues:	I don't think so