France: An Education Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Overall, I learned a great deal while I was abroad. I much prefer the educational system at Wellesley to that of France, however. While the workload at Wellesley is much greater than in France (regarding actual assigned homework), the workload at the Fac des Lettres was really what each student made of it. There was a great deal of independent studying on my part so that I felt that I actually understood the material. At Wellesley, our assigned workload is designed to do just that, and if a problem were to arise in comprehension, it would be very easy for us to work with our professors to come to a solid understanding of the material. The professors in France are, in general, much less accessible and much less attentive to their students. In many ways, I feel it is a sink or swim atmosphere, and while I did just fine and earned good grades throughout the year, I often found myself struggling to decide just what exactly I needed to study - not because of a language barrier that had left me confused, but because there was often little direction as to what professors felt students really needed to focus on. In the end, though, I was able to study topics that I would not have otherwise been able to study from a French perspective, and I was able to observe a wholly foreign educational system, all of which I found to be fascinating. Overall, I feel it was a very positive, if sometimes trying, experience.

On-site administration of your program

Madame Masson, our program director, is an amazing woman. She did everything she could and more to make sure that we had everything we needed for a smooth transition to a French university, as well as living in an apartment. The employees at the Wellesley Center sometimes left a fair amount to be desired. They functioned on what we referred to as "Provence time," operating under the standard of "Oh, it'll get done eventually." This meant that my apartment didn't have working lights for close to a week, and did not receive a working over for nearly a whole semester. If we wanted anything done, we had to go to Madame Masson, and she ensured that we received what we needed. She also made clear that we could always contact her when there was a problem or an emergency. Elsewhere, I was highly satisfied with the program. Everyone was very helpful regarding entrance into the French university system and were also extremely knowledgeable about our host country, since they were all French and had lived in that particular region for years. The program size was small compared to other programs I encountered, but I think that that was a very positive aspect as it allowed more time and opportunity to interact with the program administration as we needed.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The neighborhood was relatively safe. At worst, you would hear some drunken French students wandering down the streets and shouting to one another at three in the morning, but they certainly were never dangerous. Since I am a night owl, there were times when I was out very late, and never felt threatened by anyone in my neighborhood. Most of the streets in Aix are small, winding, and charming. It's a very walkable city, with everything you could possibly need within 20 minutes walking distance, and in the event that you should need to travel out farther, there are plenty of buses that take you anywhere you need to go for reasonable prices. My apartment in particular was right in the heart of town, just around the corner from the hôtel de ville, and thus was very close to the markets, nightlife, and most of the commercial stores in town.

It can be very hard to be vegan in France, and even being a vegetarian can have its challenges, so I sometimes watched my friends struggle to adapt to a country that very much loves its meat and dairy products. However, on my part, I loved the French cuisine. It is absolutely amazing. The one thing that the French really understand more than anything else, in my opinion, is food. The local farmers' markets with their fresh produce and homemade products for unbeatable prices were absolutely amazing. Good food is everywhere in Aix. My favorite places for a quick bite to eat were Snack Chez Fanny near the Fac, Crêpes-à-Go-Go on Cours Mirabeau, and a Greek place named Samos on Rue de la Verrerie. For dinner, I'd suggest Les Agapes on Rue des Bernadines, Le four sous le platane on Rue de la Couronne, or Jacquou le Croquant on Rue Aumône Vieille.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I enjoyed every single excursion and dinner put on by WIA and Mme. Masson. They were all amazing.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Overall, Aix is fairly safe. I never felt threatened, even if I was out walking alone at 2 am, coming back from a party at a friend's apartment. I did hear of some crime occurring in Aix, and I will admit that it's not entirely impossible to believe. As long as a student attempts to blend in, though, and to look confident when they walk around outside, no one will bother her. While there were no prevalent health issues in France, in the event that someone fell ill, Mme Masson always ensured that we received proper medical attention. My roommate was sick at one point and was referred to a doctor by Masson. While she noted that the prescriptions she was given were not very cheap, she said she received a high quality of care and appreciated the universal healthcare available in France.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

I spoke French with everyone that I encountered - from students to professors, friends to farmers, merchants to museum curators. While a fair number of people knew at least some English, and would try to speak to me in English if I was having a problem communicating, I always continued to speak French since one of my main goals in going to France was to master the language the best that I could.

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• Hotel
• Dorm

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• Americans

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