A Semester Abroad Past Review
By A student (French Language and Literature., Wellesley College) - abroad from 01/01/2013 to 05/17/2013 with
Wellesley College: Aix-en-Provence - Wellesley-in-Aix
I gained lots of independence, learned a lot about myself, had a lot of downfalls, grew stronger as a person, and learned how to cook. It was worthwhile.
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. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
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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? |
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| * Safety: |
I was sexually assaulted at the program's bus meeting place, at 8 in the morning, fully dressed in winter clothing, in broad daylight. Overall the city is quite safe, but men are quite aggressive in this area and in my experience the more "foreign" women look, the more likely they are to be sexually harrassed or assaulted. |
| 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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Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
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| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | FREN 308 |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | 10+ |
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? |
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 guess I'm just more aware that I should always be prepared to be grabbed by a stranger in the street; that's probably the most memorable thing I learned. I also wish I'd known what to expect in terms of the university there...it really is awful, and my wonderful Aix experience was not enhanced at all by my place of study. I can say, though, that I appreciate Wellesley so much more because of it. |
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 Avid AdventurerThe wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal. |
