Pretending to be French Past Review
By Sarah C (French Language, Literature, Trinity University) - abroad from 06/22/2015 to 08/01/2015 with
API (Academic Programs International): Grenoble - Université des Alpes
I learned so much about French culture and French people. I was surrounded by people who loved to learn the same language as I do and they were just as excited as I was to dive into our studies and life in Grenoble. The people in my program made the trip worthwhile.
Personal Information
| 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 program was not extremely difficult, but it was very fun. My French listening skills improved since I was immersed in the culture, but the classes were fairly elementary. My professor was very sweet and excited to teach. The university was easy to figure out. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The staff was helpful in their office and we had a lot of very cool excretions with them. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My host mom was so sweet and excited to have me visit. She was an amazing host! |
| * Food: |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
We talked to students and locals every day. Grenoble was the perfect size- easy to navigate, but big enough to always meet new people. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
N/A |
| * Safety: |
I always felt safe on campus and around town. I almost always had someone to walk with me home or to downtown. There were a lot of homeless around, but they didn't bother us very much. |
| 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) |
Grenoble is not a very expensive city. I wasn't hard to find cheaper options. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | less than 100 euros |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Spend money on the things you truly care about. If you want to spend money on good meals out in the town, you won't regret it, but as well there are a lot of options that are inexpensive and still very good! You will never run out of new restaurants to check out. |
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 |
I was told to only speak in French throughout the entire program. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| 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 |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | 10+ |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Do NOT speak English. You will just make it harder on yourself. Once you start, it's hard to stop speaking English with friends. Stick to French. |
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? | API was very informative on what to expect in our excursions and in Grenoble. I felt well prepared. |
