Paris: great host mother, engaging city, and rigidly administrative program Past Review
By A student (Anthropology., Brandeis University) - abroad from 01/07/2013 to 05/18/2013 with
Sarah Lawrence College: Paris - Sarah Lawrence College in Paris
I gained a certain confidence from living abroad and I feel like my French improved by leaps and bounds. I think it was important for me to live outside of my comfort zone for a semester. It was definitely worthwhile for me and I have an deep fondness for Paris.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I wanted the subject matter in my courses to be more interesting to me, and for the readings to connect to class discussions more. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The program administration was very helpful and directive in certain areas and very hands-off in others. I wanted the program to be more consistent and realistic in their image of students' lives in Paris. I also felt that the program lacked a sense of community, and wish the program had fostered a stronger sense of that. I also wish I had known more about the academic structure of Sarah Lawrence programs (the idea of having a large semester-long project to work on for each class, required weekly meetings with professors, etc.) before I chose the 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: |
I felt very safe in Paris and had no problems. I made sure not to be out walking alone too late at night and to always go home before the metro closed. The advice I would give is to try not to appear as though confused or unsure of your whereabouts (not to appear like a tourist) and to keep a stern face when in busy public areas. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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 was easier to live on a student's budget while in a home-stay where my family cooked me meals frequently. However, Paris is very expensive and when I ate out it was very hard to keep a student budget. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Try to use cash only so you realize how much you're spending, and keep converting prices back to USD in your head. It's easy to start to think 10€ is like $10 after a while of being there, but it's very different. I would also suggest that students find babysitting and/or English tutoring jobs to help them stay afloat financially in Paris - a little cash flow goes a long way. |
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? | Advanced |
| 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 the best way to practice the language and master it. |
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? | 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? | I wish I knew that Bank of America has a liaison with BNP Paribas in Paris so that you can withdraw Euros from an American Bank of America account for no fee. I also wish I knew that Sarah Lawrence requires bi-weekly meetings with each professor and that in each course you must complete a semester-long research project of your choosing within the subject matter. I wish I knew that as a second-semester student, the year-long students would not complete orientation with the non-Sarah Lawrence students. |
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 Avid AdventurerThe wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Français II |
| Course Department: | French |
| Instructor: | Mme Bendelian |
| Instruction Language: | French |
| Comments: | I loved this class - we went on a few field trips in the city of Paris and even visited the professor's home. She was very knowledgeable and made learning about French culture really fun by creating a relaxed and engaging classroom atmosphere. I loved how we listened to French songs, read French stories, and studied famous Parisians. I felt like I learned a lot about Parisian culture and its arts. The course was not very challenging but I felt like I learned well. The small class size made me participate more often than I would have at my home institution. We were assessed with quizzes, papers, and oral presentations. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
