France: Changing the pace of our lives Past Review
By Amelia M (French Language and Literature., Wellesley College) for
Wellesley College: Aix-en-Provence - Wellesley-in-Aix
Studying abroad was so much more different than just living abroad. I met some incredible people both from the States and from Europe, and hope to keep in touch with them in the future.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
It was mostly lecturing and very little discussion. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Mme. Masson did an incredible job organizing every aspect of this program. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I liked living with another Wellesley student, and everything we asked for was provided. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
All of the field trips organized by WC were ace. I especially liked the trip to Corsica; that was so different from the other parts of France we'd been to. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Very safe. I never needed medical attention, but there were many clinics and hospitals if I did. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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? | About 100 euros |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Go to the supermarket outside of town and not Monoprix. It's so much cheaper. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Junior year? |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
Very few people on the program spoke English, and nobody in the school system. |
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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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Go! It takes a lot of stamina to speak French all day, but it will benefit you so much in the long run. |
