Paris: Hard to Summarize in a Review Past Review
By Gordon T (Government, The University of Texas at Austin) for
AIFS: Paris - Cours de Civilisation Française de la Sorbonne
It was fun and memorable, but it did get frustrating at times. I loved it and I hated it. But the friendships I took away from my semester abroad made the experience definitely worth it.
Personal Information
If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: | College International de Cannes, La Sorbonne, Institute Catholique de Paris |
How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Academics were the weakest part of the program. Classes were painfully easy, which is good for some students, but incredibly mind-numbing for others. |
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
They were always available if I ever needed anything. They always tried to get us to do cultural events. The only problem I had was that there were limited events and often the sign-up list filled up before I had the opportunity to sign it. I had very little issues with the on-site administration. |
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My home stay was arranged by my program. It a bit further away from my friends but still in a nice part of the Paris. Mostly everything was included. I was the only person in my program to have my own kitchen. My host-family was incredibly nice and engaging. |
* Food: |
Food is expensive. Anticipate eating a lot of crepes and paninis. |
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Our trips to various museums were great and enlightening. |
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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* Safety: |
Any big city will have safety risks. The best thing you can do is travel in numbers and try not to stand out too much. I never used the healthcare system so I don't have any comments about it. |
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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Finances
* 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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Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Food is expensive! And so is alcohol. Anticipate how much you will be spending on alcohol and budget accordingly. |
Language
* Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | None |
If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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Language acquisition improvement? |
I could practice with my host family. I used French sometimes when I was in public--usually at a restaurant or a shop. |
Other Program Information
* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | If you want to party in Paris for 4 months, then this is the program for you. |
Individual Course Reviews
Course Name/Rating: |
Fashion in France: From the Sun King to 21st Century |
Course Department: | |
Instructor: | Thierry Herselin |
Instruction Language: | English |
Comments: | Fantastic! Very informative and interesting. I would highly recommend this course. |
Credit Transfer Issues: | No. |
Course Name/Rating: |
Civilization, Literature, and the Parisian Landscape |
Course Department: | |
Instructor: | Anne Galichon |
Instruction Language: | English |
Comments: | It was very interesting, though not very academically rigorous. |
Credit Transfer Issues: | No. |
Course Name/Rating: |
Franco-American Relations |
Course Department: | |
Instructor: | Anne Galichon |
Instruction Language: | English |
Comments: | It was very easy. The instructor tried to make it as fun as possible. I enjoyed it overall. |
Credit Transfer Issues: | No. |
Course Name/Rating: |
Cours Pratiques |
Course Department: | 10HIV-DEB-09 |
Instructor: | Vincenot |
Instruction Language: | French |
Comments: | It moved very slowly and there was too much busy work. I would've enjoyed it better had it been more challenging. |
Credit Transfer Issues: | No. |