Aix-cellent Cultural Experience! Past Review
By Adeline T (Economics And French, Wellesley College) for
Wellesley College: Aix-en-Provence - Wellesley-in-Aix
Loved it - I have a better understanding now about what it's like to be a foreigner in a new country where you need to work at understanding the language and culture. I added a French double major after this program because I have developed a better appreciation for the French language and would like to continue this in my studies.
Personal Information
| If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: | Universite de Provence - Aix-Marseille, Science Po-Aix (Institut Politique d'Etudes) |
| 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. |
The grading system in France made it difficult to stay disciplined at times - in several of my classees, the only grade in the class was from our final exam. The studying done outside of class was independent and without help in structure from the classes or the professors. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The Wellesley Centre in Aix was well-run, but sometimes, there were little organisational problems, such as communication about the pensions, expectations in housing, etc. They were decent at fulfilling the requests I had, but I also heard about a few problems with the services provided to those who lived in apartments. Their knowledge about the host country and American higher education was pretty good, and the program size was about right. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My host family lived a little farther away from the university, but it was fine for the nightlife in town. I didn't need to buy too many things for settling in, and my host family treated me pretty well. The only complaint I have is that they would shut off the internet at 11pm-midnight, so if I had schoolwork to do online, I wouldn't be able to work past that time. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The group excursions, especially the one in Corsica, were great, especially with our introduction to historical sites, bits of culture, and good cuisine. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
The city of Aix was pretty safe, though there are rare occasions when safety was a concern. Perhaps it would be best to add a question in the survey of how much students like to go out at night and to place the students who go out a lot at night closer to the center of town. I was on the outskirts, and it was sometimes a little bit scary to walk home by myself really late at night. |
| 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 60-100 euro |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | I didn't expect to spend as much money on food or beverages as I did |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Beginner |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | French Studies in Literation - FREN 211 |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
I practiced French with my host family, with fellow students, and with friends. I used French in everday interactions, and not everyone could speak English in the town. |
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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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Aix is a university town where one can meet students coming from everywhere - the academics themselves may not be as intellectually-stimulating or well-structured as American higher education, but I thought the cultural experience was worth it. I met a lot of new people, and improved my French language skills greatly, so I would recommend this program for students who are looking for the overall experience rather tha just an academic experience. |
