Bittersweet July 05, 2022
By A student (French, Middlebury College) - abroad from 01/04/2022 to 05/16/2022 with
Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Paris
What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned to be more independent.
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. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
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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: |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I am thankful for the opportunity to have been able to go abroad. My reading skills in French are amazing now! I am a more confident person thanks to the program. And I keep in touch with some students of the program. |
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) |
Paris is expensive |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 150 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Don't be afraid to be stingy and sign up for student discount programs. |
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 |
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| 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? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | FREN 0224 |
| 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? | If you're with a host family it makes it easier to actually find people to talk to. I know it's difficult but try to make friends with other students at the local/host univeristy. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? | 0 |
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 expensive living in Paris is. How the weather during the winter in Paris is terrible and one can suffer from lack of vitamin D. More about culture shock. I wish I got a tutorial on how to use the transportation system in Paris. |
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 Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Absolute Monarchs to Mod Presidents |
| Course Department: | French |
| Instructor: | Rousslier |
| Instruction Language: | French |
| Comments: | It was a good course I highly reccomend. The professor is very knowledgeable and makes the course interesting. He is also very understanding that we all had different levels of French and made sure that no question went unanswered. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | Yes. Middlebury College's Registrar office never replied to my credit transfer emails. They placed this class as a different requirement for the French major which jepordizes my French major. I encourage students to triple check with their advisors. Also the fact that Middlebury only accepts three course credits for the major is ridicicoulous because as Middlebury College students on a Middlebury Program it doesn't make sense that only three credits are accepted for the major. Especially, taking into account that we are taking classes in the native language at the country where the language is the national language. |
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