Aix: One of the best memories I ever had! Past Review
By Amy W (French and Economics, Wellesley College) for
Wellesley College: Aix-en-Provence - Wellesley-in-Aix
It was just so incredible to have the opportunity to spend a semester away! Aix was great, and we got to learn and experience a lot of new things.
Personal Information
| If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: | Sciences-Po Aix en Provence, University of Provence Aix Marseille |
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The system was extremely different, so it was interesting to get adjusted to that. The professors didn't know the students on a one-on-one basis, and there was generally only one exam at the end of the semester that determined the grade for the whole class. It was not very personal, but the lectures were generally very good and educational. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The program was so well organized, we barely had to do anything ourselves. On one hand, we were very lucky because we really just had to follow instructions. But on the other hand, we didn't have to experience doing anything ourselves because it had already been taken care of. It would've been nice to have to figure some things out on our own. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
We mostly bought sandwiches and pasta boxes for lunch, and for dinner the host family prepared our meals. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
We went hiking on Mt. Sainte Victoire one time, and it was a super fun hike with the whole group. We also had a grape harvest and olive-picking party. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Aix is very safe at night, because it's a very small town, and there are plenty of young people studying there. There wasn't an issue with safety. |
| 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) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | I spent around 3-7 euros for lunch each day, and I ate all my dinners with my host family. But sometimes, I also went shopping and that would be much more expensive. But those were only occasional events. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | I had to buy my own hairdryer, and a blanket because it got pretty cold in November and December. |
Language
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| 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?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes 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? | I think students who are really looking to immerse themselves in the French culture would benefit tremendously from this program. Especially if you lived in a host family. |
