The best way to become fluent in French language and culture. Past Review
By Abigail Romain (University of Michigan - Ann Arbor) - abroad from 01/03/2017 to 05/21/2017 with
Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Paris
Fluency in the language and a real-life experience of living the French lifestyle. It was absolutely worthwhile. I wish it had lasted longer!
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The program was very rigorous and required a lot of hard work in order to pass classes. I learned especially through various required French novels assigned from the Sorbonne Nouvelle Paris III. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Staff members of Middlebury were extremely accessible and always willing to help. They went out of their way to make students always feel welcome and safe. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I lived with a host family and the arrangements could not have been better. The family itself was accommodating, kind, and always willing to help, and as far as the arrangements, I had my own, rather large for Paris, room, as well as a spacious kitchen and dining area the family shared with me. |
| * Food: |
Everywhere I ate, from with my host family, to at Middlebury at events, to any restaurant or market, the food was amazing. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Although it was sometimes difficult because of the language barrier, this improved over time, and I was able to interact with local residents in different settings. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I personally did not have any health issues or concerns while abroad. |
| * Safety: |
Middlebury constantly alerted us of potentially dangerous situations, telling us which areas of Paris to avoid on certain dates. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I do not have any complaints about this program. I learned so much and met wonderful people with similar goals along the way. |
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) |
It is possible to save money by preparing meals at home. The most I spent money on was definitely food. Preparing meals at home and bringing them on-the-go rather than eating out can save a lot of money. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $100-150 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Prepare meals at home |
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 |
We were technically required to speak nothing but French while on the program. This helped tremendously in everyone's improvement throughout the semester. |
| 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? | 300 and 400-level French college courses at the University of Michigan (Dearborn and Ann Arbor) |
| 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? | Speak it. With anyone you can. And read and watch French news. |
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? |
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? | How to understand and speak effectively |
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 Academic or LinguistYou went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you! |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Flaneries, Promenades, Errances et Fuites |
| Course Department: | Litterature Comparee (Comparative Literature |
| Instructor: | Guido Furci |
| Instruction Language: | French |
| Comments: | Yes, the course was difficult. It was very thought-provoking and philosophical, and there were various readings that often proved challenging for non-native speakers. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
