Great experience in France Past Review
By Victoria (Colby College) - abroad from 01/03/2017 to 05/14/2017 with
Wellesley College: Aix-en-Provence - Wellesley-in-Aix
What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Wow, everything I gained cannot be quantified. I learned so much about myself, about French culture, American culture, the world, the French language, the English language. It was really unlike anything else I've done.
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: |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
The program had a really nice balance of being helpful when you needed it but not being annoyingly invasive. I felt encouraged to be independent and autonomous but if I needed help, there was always someone willing to help. |
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 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | I probably spent around 50$ per week on food for lunch, other expenses were minimal. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Buy your food from the Casino grocery store or the open air markets, the best quality for the lowest prices. Also don't be ashamed to eat just pasta when your friends are making crazy deluxe meals--pasta is good too. |
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? | Advanced |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Fluent |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | It was a 300-level French course |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | 10+ |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Make French friends! It may be difficult especially at first but it will be worth it! |
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'd already spent a semester in France with a different program the semester prior so I felt really really prepared for the semester with Wellesley. |
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