A lot of change and a lot of learning Past Review
By A student (Music and French, SUNY - College at Geneseo) - abroad from 08/17/2012 to 12/22/2012 with
SUNY Geneseo: Montpellier - Universite Paul Valery - Montpellier III
I learned a lot of things about myself, in ways that I really didn't think that I would. I feel like I am a lot more patient now, after having to deal with the inefficiency of French bureaucracy. I think that this was a worthwhile experience, definitely.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
|
* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
While there were many different options for courses to take throughout the university, the level of these classes was not equal to those that would be taken at Geneseo. Even the RI courses, which were designed to resemble American style learning, were not as rigorous or demanding as Geneseo's curriculum. |
|
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
|
|
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I lived in a "Boarding Stay" family, and I absolutely loved it! I had all of the freedom that I could have ever wanted, but I always knew that someone would be there if I needed them to be. Would totally recommend this option to anyone interested in the program! |
| * Food: |
I got to cook for myself, so food was everything that I wanted it to be. During the pre-session we were required to eat at the cafeterias, which was economical and a lot of food, but was not necessarily sensitive to allergies or dietary restrictions (not that I have any, but that is something that I noticed0. |
|
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
|
|
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
French healthcare is wonderful and really comprehensive! So easy to figure out! |
| * Safety: |
|
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
|
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) |
|
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Between 50 and 75 euros a week, depending on social activities and not including travel. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Get a Bank of America account before you leave for France! Bank of America has free student accounts that you can have while you are enrolled in a school, and the bank BNP in France and BNL in Italy both have partnerships which Bank of America, meaning that you can take out money from their ATM's with no charge and no conversion fees. The bank account that they set up for you at LCL on campus was difficult to use and had many charges that seemed arbitrary. My advice would be to only put about 10 euros in your LCL account and to just use your Bank of America card wherever you go. Note: unless you Bank of America card has a chip in it, it will not work in many of the machines in Europe. If it is possible to get one with a chip, I would do it. Otherwise, you can just transfer cash to your LCL card from your Bank of America card (free withdrawals) to pay for specific purchases you may need. |
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? | Advanced |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Fluent |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | FREN 355: French literature in the 17th and 18th centuries |
| 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? | Go to the language exchanges! They have them all over town, and even if a lot of french people don't frequent them, its still nice to practice in an environment that you don't feel pressured in! |
Other Program Information
|
* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
|
| 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? |
|
| * What could be improved? |
|
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Bank of America accounts. |
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! |
