Aix-ellent! Past Review
By Student R (Art History, Criticism and Conservation., Wellesley College) for
Wellesley College: Aix-en-Provence - Wellesley-in-Aix
Yes, it was definitely a worthwhile experience. I improved my french skills and gained independence.
Personal Information
| 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. |
I really enjoyed the two classes that were organized by Wellesley (a french language workshop and a translation class)but did not feel as fondly about the classes I took at the local university. It took a little while for me to adjust to a different dynamic between the teachers and students where the relationship seemed more hostile and distant than I am used to. It was also an adjustment that nightly homework is rarely assigned and instead of being instructed to read a certain number of pages in a book for each time we were expected to have read the whole book before we started discussing it in class. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The program director was extremely helpful if we had questions about ANYTHING. We were also given a book (Guide Aix-Paris) filled with specific important information about our time and things like restaurant and activity recommendations. The Wellesley center was pretty helpful too and offered tutoring services |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
The food was fantastic and our program director took us out to dinner a few times to teach us about the local specialties and encourage us to eat like the French. Aix has fantastic restaurants! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I had to see a doctor once during the program and our director was kind enough to offer to accompany me to aid with the language barrier. The program guide book gives several recommendations for doctors |
| * Safety: |
Aix seemed very safe to me however two of my friends had items stolen from them on the street. One friend of mine had her iPhone stolen from her at knifepoint. As like in most cities, if you stick in groups and stay in well-populated areas you will likely be fine. |
| 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) |
We were given a stipend that helped with food costs. Getting fresh fruits and veggies from the market made food very affordable. There are nice restaurants in Aix as well as more budget-friendly options. |
| * Was housing included in your program cost? | Yes |
| * Was food included in your program cost? | Yes |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Shop at the local markets! Cook for yourself |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Beginner |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | A 200 level French course |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
The best way to improve your language skills is to try really hard to eliminate English from your life. Our program director was very vigilant in encouraging this. I would also recommend going to places like the market where you learn to perform daily interactions in French. It's also nice to try to get a language partner from the local university with whom you can practice speaking . |
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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| 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? |
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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 wish I had known more about the class-selection process at the local university. |
