Wellesley-in-Aix Past Review
By A student (Wellesley College) - abroad from 08/19/2016 to 12/16/2016 with
Wellesley College: Aix-en-Provence - Wellesley-in-Aix
My French improved dramatically, which was my main reason for studying abroad, and I learned a lot about how race and other cultures are viewed in Europe. It was absolutely worthwhile because of, as I said, my wonderful host 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. |
Compared to Wellesley, my classes this semester did not excite me. The challenge came from the fact that all the courses were in French, but I would recommend sticking to Sciences Po classes as much as possible over those of AMU where the structure, organization, and professors are not as good as that of Sciences Po (and other American institutions). |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The program administration is quite good and the lack of organization in the beginning of the semester is due mostly in part because of AMU. I will say that of the two program directors, one is far more approachable and helpful than the other. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I highly recommend living with a host family--I loooved mine and they absolutely made my experience in Aix worthwhile. :) |
| * Food: |
The food my host family provided me was excellent but the food in Aix is very expensive and they don't have many options. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I think it's easy to feel integrated in French culture because of living with a host family and sharing meals with them, not to mention cultural conversations, but it is very hard to make French friends and friends at Sciences Po are often too busy to hang out much outside of class. There are also not many active clubs in either Sciences Po or AMU so it's very hard to feel part of the student life on either campus. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I didn't get a flu shot while in France but I also didn't experience any other health issues. |
| * Safety: |
I felt completely safe in Aix. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I loved my experience in Aix because of my host family, so I would absolutely do it again. Additionally, this program made it easy for me to study abroad because of my family's financial situation. While I would have loved to study in Paris, which I think would have eliminated a lot of the racist microaggressions I dealt with in Aix, my family could not support me financially to live in such an expensive city. So, yes, I would study in Aix again if I could do it all over again but if I could do it all over again without financial burdens, I would have picked Paris or another city with more diversity. |
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 303 |
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?
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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 wish I had known that I would be limited to the Sciences Po classes I sat in on during my first week. Sit in on a LOT of Sciences Po classes so that once you see how different the courses at AMU are, you still have the option of taking two Sciences Po classes and not just one. |
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 Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
