My First Big Girl Trip... in PARIS. Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The workload was just right. I was able to learn a large amount of information in a short period of time, but the workload was not too much. I was able to enjoy my time abroad without too much stress from classwork. The teaching method was unique because it was all in french, no english. Many of my classmates didn't even speak english, so french was our common language (interesting for a beginner class). The educational system was different, but I actually liked it more. It was easy to get the hang out.

On-site administration of your program

The support services that AIFS offered in Paris were incredible. The on site staff was so helpful and cared about all of the students in the program. They went above and beyond to provide support and to help our transition into a foreign country much easier than it would have been on our own. They were always available to answer questions and would find answers quickly for students. They made me feel very welcome in a foreign country and felt almost like family. The were extremely caring. The AIFS group wasn't extremely large, so it was easy to connect with other people in the group. One thing I wish there would have been would be more group interaction events during the beginning of the program, but it was easy to connect with people on our own. Everyone was very welcoming.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The hotel was great and accommodated our long term residence. The room was more than I was expecting. The hotel was in a very safe part of Paris, however it was somewhat far from a lot of tourist sites. It was close to a metro stop, which was very helpful. The staff was as helpful as possible and spoke enough English to help us when we lacked the language skills in French to get what we needed across. The only problem that I encountered was unsatisfactory internet services. It was rare for the wireless internet in the hotel to work without any problems.

AIFS provided money towards the purchase of food because a cafeteria was not accessible. I felt that we could have had more money given to us because the food in Paris is extremely expensive and the money didn't cover even half of our costs.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

The special events, tours, excursions, etc. were incredible. There was an event on most days. There could have been more social interactions or "meet and greets" towards the beginning of the program, as well as excursions to museums and tourist attractions like the Louvre or to the Eiffel tower.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

The area that we stayed in seemed very safe. It's a given that parts of Paris will be unsafe, and I did have encounters of feeling a little uneasy. However, it is impossible to rid a group of students of all dangerous aspects in a large city, but I feel that AIFS did an adequate job in keeping the students as free from danger as possible. I didn't encounter any health issues.

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

It was easy to get around France because of my group. I previously took french language classes, but was placed in a beginner class. It was a perfect refresher for me. Other students in my group knew more french than I did and helped me out in public with any language barriers. Most people in Paris knew a little bit of English and we were able to breach the barrier. I used basic questions and other common sayings in everyday interactions, such as how to order, where such and such is, thank you, etc.

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