Great Taste of Life in France September 04, 2022

By (Economics & Art History, Middlebury College) - abroad from 01/21/2022 to 05/13/2022 with

Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Paris

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Great leaps in my language ability and confidence.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

It was great to experience another cultures education system and learn with other French students in one of the worlds most famous universities. However, I enjoyed my Middlebury classes less than the university ones.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Extremely supportive staff in terms of academics but also in terms of personal and emotional health.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Difficulty because of covid but ended up having a great time.

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

The Midd program was very helpful dealing with covid

* Safety:

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

as a midd student I have to do a Middlebury program but I would choose Paris because I loved having a big city to explore and access to other parts of France.

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)

Def benefited from saving spending money before hand.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 300 euros

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

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
How many hours per day did you use the language? 10+

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
  • Americans
  • 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?
  • Other Students & Homestay
  • Staff and Professors
  • The Food!
* What could be improved?
  • Academics of Middlebury courses
  • Discrepancies between grading of different universities (ie. half the program was pass fail and the other was getting a grade in their transcript)
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? More about the french grading and education system!

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 Linguist
You 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:

Advanced French 1

Course Department: French
Instructor: Patrick Guedon
Instruction Language: French
Comments: Great to have some grammar review in a relaxed environment however the professor was not open to feedback and questions.
Credit Transfer Issues: No issues.
Course Name/Rating:

Gender in France

Course Department: French
Instructor: Anais
Instruction Language: French
Comments: Content was interesting but the actual time spent in class wasn't very well structured. I did enjoy the variety in material and the field trips.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Contemporary Economic History

Course Department: History
Instructor: Phillippe, Tristram
Instruction Language: French
Comments: Challenging only because it was all in french. A great class environment for an American learning about the french system and perspective on history. Great understanding and encouraging professors
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

20th century German Art History

Course Department: Art History
Instructor: Catherine Werminster
Instruction Language: French
Comments: Typical french course. Harsh grading but welcoming professor and class environment.
Credit Transfer Issues: