a terrific program Past Review
By Heather Gluck (Wellesley College) - abroad from 01/02/2018 to 05/30/2019 with
Wellesley College: Aix-en-Provence - Wellesley-in-Aix
again, massive language gains, and definitely cultural knowledge too. a very fun time
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. |
it was not academically rigorous, which of course is not at all a negative for a study abroad program. there were resources available such as a tutor to help with assignments |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
the director of the program was somewhat hands off and at certain times dismissive of students complaints or requests for help |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
i adored my housing situation (staying in the student housing), i'm starring down because some 5 students who stayed with host families whose experiences were so miserable they moved to student housing or moved host families |
| * 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: |
one student did have her wallet stolen on a day trip to lyon i think. as for aix itself, it's very safe, though we were warned about pickpockets. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
overall it was a really great experience. aix was beautiful, the classes were easy, my french improved a lot. it was like a chill french vacation where i got to massively improve my language skills |
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) |
student housing is in my opinion a more expensive option |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | not sure |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | if in student housing, buy in bulk, shop at the smaller supermarkets rather than the monoprix, check out the markets for fresh food |
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 |
very good with language immersion |
| 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? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | 300 |
| 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? | homestays definitely help you improve your french a lot more than staying in student housing does |
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? | how much free time i would have on my hands, and to figure out some extra curricular activities myself because the directors weren't very much help |
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 Academic or LinguistYou went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you! |
