Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

The most liberating experience of my life. Past Review

By (Berea College) - abroad from 05/07/2012 to 05/31/2012 with

Berea College: Paris - The Wonders of Paris

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned that the world is not so large as I once thought, and it was the most worthwhile thing that I have ever done. I can scarcely describe the joy that I felt meandering around the streets of Paris, taking in the splendor of the city.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? None

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

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)

* Was housing included in your program cost? Yes
* Was food included in your program cost? Yes
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? Close to 100 euro a week.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Study hard and keep your GPA up, because you are more likely to obtain helpful scholarships with a higher GPA!

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? 0

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • I loved the experience of simply being in Paris, especially the food, fashion, art, music and culture.
* What could be improved?
  • The preparatory course should probably be required to better prepare students for the trip.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish that I had known how important daily planning was going to be to effectively see all the sites so that I could have started my planning before my trip even began. Having the maps at an earlier date would be particularly useful.