Strasbourg: Don't Come To Meet People Past Review
By Emily G (English and Textual Studies, Syracuse University) for
Syracuse University: Strasbourg - Syracuse University in Strasbourg
There were many things I did not care for in Strasbourg. Strasbourg is not an accurate representation of France--please, don't get this confused. During my stay, I was always surprised by how rude people in Strasbourg were...and how unbelievably nice people were in other regions in France. If you want to go to a foreign country, don't want to interact with the natives, and are a political science major, go for this program. Otherwise, it's better to look elsewhere.
Personal Information
| If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: | University of Strasbourg IIEF |
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Many of the courses were genuinely good at the Syracuse center in Strasbourg, although they are very poly-sci based! Personally, the language courses at the University of Strasbourg are a much better investment if languages are your calling. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The staff here is genuinely awesome. Everyone is genuinely attentive and cares about what you're doing. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My host home was pretty far away from everything, but I was pretty close to a public transportation system, and my room was genuinely lovely. I did have some problems with my host family--many things were said that should never be said to anyone, not even a guest--and I never felt like I really "clicked" with them. Definitely a downer in terms of experience and language acquisition; I mainly stayed in my room and studied the entire time I was here to avoid more problems. If I could do it all over again, I would have stayed in an apartment. They were lovely people, but not host family material. |
| * Food: |
My needs were met. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The Syracuse staff goes on many excursions, which gives one a good understanding of the country. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Strasbourg is a pretty safe city. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
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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) |
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Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
It was not the case so much at the Syracuse center (many of the classes are conducted in English), but I always found somewhere to practice! |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
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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? | If you want to come to France to study French and speak it with natives, you're probably better off going elsewhere. |
