Acceptance of new ways, appreciation of old. Past Review
By A student (Middlebury College) - abroad from 01/03/2018 to 05/19/2018 with
Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Paris
Studying in Paris was certainly worthwhile as it proved to me that I am capable of alternate methods of learning, and that my ways are not the only ways. It allowed me to look critically at the way I live and learn at home and gave me the confidence to interact in a new space in an unfamiliar language. Lastly, I learned how to represent myself to people and to a country that had preconceptions about me.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The administration at the Middlebury Center was wonderful. It is the administration at the actual Parisian universities that was frustrating. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Although I am happy with the conversations and general interactions I had with my host parents, I was not satisfied with the degree to which I sometimes felt unwelcome in the house. |
| * Food: |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Like others, I found it quite difficult to develop close friendships with French students in my classes. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Although I did not have any safety incidents, I often felt unsafe living in the 20th arrondissement, just on my walks home from the metro alone at night. Traveling with friends when possible is definitely a good idea! |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
Although I am happy to be taking American courses again, I look back at my time in Paris with nostalgia. The city and the people taught me so much that I can't imagine studying anywhere else. |
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? | On a normal week I probably spent about 50 dollars a week, but during weeks where I took trips, those expenses added up quickly. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | There are so many restaurants that have cheaper food, so try to cut out expensive restaurants. |
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 |
The language pledge was highly respected in the Paris program. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | French 230 at Middlebury (Intro to Contemporary France) |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Living with a host family is key to using the language heavily. I also recommend listening to French music, watching shows with French subtitles, and switching phones to French when possible. |
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? | I wish that I knew that it really was okay to be uncertain about the work that I was doing, and that that uncertainty did not necessarily put me at a disadvantage. I think I was under the impression that as an exchange student, my thoughts/input in classrooms would not be valuable, but that really just isn't true. |
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: |
Traces of History in Contemporary Literature |
| Course Department: | Comparative Literature |
| Instructor: | Gabrielle Napoli |
| Instruction Language: | French |
| Comments: | This course was extremely challenging for an exchange student. Although the class was interesting, it seemed as though I should have taken another class with the professor beforehand to be prepared for the one I took. I participated in the class very little because the professor was not welcoming. We were assessed with papers and presentations, but my presentation was canceled due to strikes. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | No |
