Traveling is your ticket to freedom. Past Review
By A student (French Language and Literature., Wellesley College) - abroad from 12/27/2014 to 05/21/2014 with
Wellesley College: Aix-en-Provence - Wellesley-in-Aix
It was worthwhile. I got to travel to several different countries, meet the people, and visit my extended family.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The courses were difficult, the intensity was fine for international students. I don't think I was prepared for these types of courses and I felt limited in terms of resources. Perhaps that was my own fault, but I truly felt that I couldn't ask for help because I never felt welcome in the university. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Very kind, understanding women. The staff were constantly reaching out to us to make sure we were taken care of. I was pleased with their awareness of the students in the program. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Loved the location, disliked how outdated the apartment was. Stuff broke frequently, and they have tiny radiators/no fans for airing out the space. Adequate dinnerware and cooking utensils, but a lot of it was old or very worn. |
| * Food: |
Extremely generous food stipends helped my roommate and I survive this semester. We cooked every night, trying a variety of recipes and tried to eat French cuisine (and some home favorites à la Monoprix). I was grateful to have such good food on hand all the time. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I would not recommend traveling to southern France if you don't have a thick skin. Unless you look like one of the French, I can assure you that you will receive some form of criticism from the locals. Integrating with the locals is impossible unless you have connections through the student body. Good luck with that; spring semester students have a harder time meeting new people than fall students. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Didn't have safety issues. Common sense rules in this country- don't expect the same laws as what they have in the US. |
| 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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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | €125 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Shop for necessities at places like Franprix, shop for everything else (vegetables, bread, etc.) at the morning markets. |
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? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Intermediate French (211) |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Stay with a family. Unless you have serious dietary restrictions, you really should try to stay with a family. The apartment life was nice, but you'll learn more by constantly interacting with the French people. |
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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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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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 knew that I would never be able to make French friends or walk down the street and not feel judged by the locals. I wish I'd known that the academics were completely different in terms of style (they discussed this briefly, but I still felt unprepared). |
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. |
