Pau gives you a good experience of the French culture and People Past Review
By Katie L (Hospitality Business Management, Washington State University - Pullman campus) for
USAC France: Pau - French Language and European Studies
It wasn't USAC I didn't like. I just don't really get along well with the French people overall. Studying abroad fufilled all my stereotypes instead of banishing them. I was happy to come home and I would love to go back and visit France, but I would never live there again (unless I lived in Paris).
Personal Information
| 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. |
The academics courses are awesome! They are mainly taught in French at the Universite de Pau, however there are a few electives taught in English. I gave it a 4/5 because there was only one French Business class and not really any business classes applicable to my major. However if you are a Freshman or Sophomore you could probably use some electives as GRE credits. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Ryan and Robina are wonderful! They make you feel so at home and are there to support you. They made me feel more at home than anyone or anything else in Pau. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Rent through USAC was expensive and I was put in a house far from town (1.5 hours by foot). The buses stopped running after 8 pm so it was very hard to go out at night and I was often lonely in my house because I was so far away from other students and it was generally just my host mother and me. I also noticed a flyer advertising an apartment downtown where I could have lived with French students for 100 euros cheaper! Made me feel a bit ripped off by USAC. However my host mom only spoke French to me (which is what I requested) and I definitely learned a ton about the culture this way. |
| * Food: |
It's France. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The USAC excursions are great!!!!!! The only thing my experience lacked was that it is hard to make French friends. I think this would be true with almost any program if you are with other Americans. In my French classes however I made many many foreign friends. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
My host mom's house was okay, but not as clean as I am used to. Walking home from downtown and waiting at the bus stop made me a target for sketchy ppl sometimes. |
| 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 |
| Language acquisition improvement? |
Language classes were great! Teachers are pretty accomadating at delivering what the majority of the class wants, but they drill, drill, drill the subjunctive into you! I spent probably a quarter of my time learning it and felt I didn't use it all that much. Would have been more valuable to learn other things. |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | See if you can stay with a family downtown or even find your own housing outside of USAC (if they will let you). |
