Toulouse, France: Nothing to Lose, Everything to Gain. Toulouse, Language, Community, and Social Change Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I didn't like the grading system, as it didn't seem quite fair the way the grades were automatically transferred to the US letter grading system - it was still rather harsh grading, I felt, especially when compared to other US university students' grading systems who were studying in Toulouse as well. The courses were difficult at times simply due to the fact that I, personally, am not used to lecture courses that last two hours straight, perhaps a pause in the middle, perhaps not. In particular, the teacher who just sits in the desk chair the whole time, as I have never experienced that.

On-site administration of your program

Very accessible, very helpful where they could help, Very knowledgeable... program size was good... my expectations were met and it was great

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I was treated kind of like a cousin for the family. My family was really busy, so we didn't do much together outside of the house, but they weren't doing anything together outside of the house in the first place (that is, they included me in what they did, they just didn't ever do much outside the house). Being vegan and a semi-health freak, I brought and bought on-site some snack things to help keep a balanced diet that was as organic as possible. Lunchtime was not included in the host family contract, so I would typically buy things to have lunch regularly at the house instead of eating out and paying much more overall.

I miss certain things we have easily attainable back home for vegans, but it's all rather unnecessary for survival (e.g. vegan ice creams and desserts). There was a really great vegetarian restaurant, La Faim des Haricots, and several small stores/grocers that were filled with organic and vegan foods

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

All the trips by the program were really awesome and great breaks. I personally, as a Catholic, loved the Paroisse Étudiante de Toulouse and all the activities they offered to students

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

No prevalent health issues in-country, so it wasn't ever a health risk matter. I had a filling fall out during the program, and the director helped me find a dentist that does fillings with no mercury in them. I was rather disappointed with our US dental system when I had my appointment, as I paid 28 Euros for something that had cost over a hundred back home two months beforehand... it was great service and the filling was very well done

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Anyone and everyone... with the teachers and directors of the program, only French was acceptable (and sometimes understood); the town was full of French speakers who were French and foreigners; the girls in the program posed a problem, almost always speaking English, but some of them coming with almost no French at the start played into the group's means of communication a great deal - after a time, the group started speaking more and more French among one another; host families; other students on campus

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• Host Family

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• Host Family

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• Americans