Seriously the best 4 months of my life, as cliché as that is. Past Review
By A student (International Relations and Affairs., University of Arkansas - Fayetteville) - abroad from 02/04/2013 to 05/31/2013 with
AIFS: Cannes - Campus International de Cannes
I learned so much about France and their culture, and I improved and became a lot more confident speaking French. It was so worthwhile! I also got to learn so much about myself, and I fell in love with traveling even more than I had before. It definitely made me more confident and independent, and helped me figure out what I want to do professionally after graduation.
Review Photos
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. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Sandrine and Oude were absolutely the best! |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I lived with two other girls, and our room was very spacious, had a sink, and was the only room with our own terrace! |
| * Food: |
It was nice to be served a three course meal every day, but the food itself was only just edible. There were some really great meals, too bad they were served rarely. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The school itself is like a little bubble, many people speak English on campus, so to really experience the culture you have to put in a little work and go off-campus. The town was stunning, however, and the people were all very kind and encouraging when I attempted to speak French. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
There is a nurse on campus that was very nice and told me which medicine to buy at the pharmacy whenever I got sick. |
| * Safety: |
I never had any problems walking around in the city, though I always walked back in large groups late at night. Some of my friends were followed and harassed by strangers, but it wasn't a common thing. |
| 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) |
Things are expensive, and sadly the dollar is worth a lot less than the euro. However, if you budget and find the cheaper deals (there are cheaper stores!) you can make it. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 80 euros |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Set a weekly budget. Find out if your bank has a partner bank overseas so you won't be charged huge transaction fees, and take out a couple hundred euros every few weeks. |
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? | Beginner |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Intermediate French 1 |
| 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? | Don't stay on campus, but rather go to town and speak with the locals. Watch movies and read books in the language. |
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? | You might get homesick, but if you push through it the hardest part about the whole experience will actually end up being saying goodbye and leaving the place you grew to love in those 4 months. ALSO, bring rain boots, several umbrellas, and a rain jacket because it rained the majority of the time. |
