Américain Genevois! May 20, 2024
By Phoebe L (Politics and International and Global Studies (IGS), Brandeis University) - abroad from 01/09/2024 to 04/29/2024 with
Boston University: Geneva - Internship Program
For the international relations track, and as a student who had never been abroad before this, this experience was incredibly enriching and eye-opening to really get a birds-eye view of the world through witnessing UN diplomacy in action and I am very very thankful for the months I got to spend in Geneva.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I learned SOOOO much while on this program, primarily through the internship opportunity and my job I had while in Geneva. The French 2 class also was very helpful and the professor was fantastic, and the politics/law classes I was enrolled in were a bit boring but still very educational as I had not interacted with law much in my studies at Brandeis. But I enjoyed the classes overall as well even if they were a bit much for study abroad classes coupled with my internship at times. The internship was the most valuable part of my educational experience, hands down. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
There was construction on the 5th floor while I was there so the dorms and kitchens were a bit crowded than normal. |
| * Food: |
I had to cook a lot as there is no meal plan. Switzerland is a bit expensive but their groceries are considerably good and well processed, even more so than America. But I had to learn a lot of cooking; I guess it taught me some independence! But there is no meal plan. You can get a 5 franc card for the UniGe cafeteria, but I never used it a lot. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Having to cook forced me out into Geneva more which got me to practicing my French a lot which was nice. My internship introduced me to diplomatic UN practices and life in Geneva as a government official, which was a cool insight. Otherwise, I didn't engage much with people my age all the time or at UniGe. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Geneva clinics can be tough to navigate. The medical care in Europe is just different from the US, which can be annoying to deal with. |
| * Safety: |
SUCH a safe and nice city. I am a woman and it is easy and safe to walk home at late hours with friends. Very quiet and respectable place! |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
As a student who has never had a professional internship before, the internship experience is invaluable. If you are a student in need of experience, this program will set you up with a great job if you need the experience and really have initiative. To be clear, this is NOT A PROGRAM for the student looking to travel a ton everywhere and have a lot of free time compared to other programs. The internship is the core and you will spend most time working there. Also, I completely recognize that a lot of other students had worse experiences with their internship compared to me who are in different areas of studies. And overall, not to mention, the city itself and the mountains are just gorgeous. I really wholeheartedly enjoyed my time in Geneva and would choose the same program for myself if given a do-over option. |
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) |
Geneva is VERY expensive, more expensive than America, so BE prepared to budget and get a travel credit card! |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | About 100 Francs, but a lot more if I traveled during the weekend. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Save spending money on France or other cheaper countries nearby. Even buying things like skincare and clothes in other countries makes a big difference. Also, you can use your card most places so no need to get a ton of cash out before you leave. |
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 able to speak French around town easily, on public transport and grocery stores mostly. I was taking a French class so it was highly encouraged to speak French at least once a day, for me. The most French I spoke was mostly in class. |
| 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? | French30 |
| 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? | Do not be afraid to try before switching to English! Most people in Geneva speak English since it is very international and will switch to English if they don't understand you, but don't let that get you down and try as much as you can! It is great practice regardless. |
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? | I wish I knew exactly how the classes/internship program was structured as a schedule before committing, as I didn't expect it to be as rigorous as it sounded (which it was, and I ultimately don't resent that.) |
Reasons For Studying Abroad
| To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you. |
The Academic or LinguistYou went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you! |
