Grenoble: small town with grand rewards Past Review
By Alejandra B (Sociology., Barnard College) for
Boston University: Grenoble - Language & Liberal Arts Program
YES. I have bettered my french, I met a lot of amazing people, and travelled all over Europe. I hope to use my french in future endeavors, and of course make it back to France as soon as possible!
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
It exceeded my expectations. I grew very close to the staff on site, and they were very attentive and helpful to all the students. I recommend this program to anyone who desires to learn French. The town atmosphere helped a lot more than I thought. I was hesitant at first, because I wanted a city. But this program is IDEAL. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Great family! It just took a while to get used to living in someone else's home, after having my own space and apartment. Nevertheless, my host family was wonderful -- very gracious and gave me my independence. |
| * Food: |
I often ate at home // buying food at the supermarket is a lot cheaper and better than always eating out. However, there are always options to eat out too. Be mindful of Sundays, when everything is closed though. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The program arranged a lot of visits and trips for us so that we could better get to know the area. My favorite trip was Nice. All the trips were great and informative. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Everything is very safe; no major health issues. I got the stomach flu once, and it would have been helpful to know more about where to get assistance though. |
| 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) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | I travelled A LOT, so I spent more money. I did not use much while in Grenoble (the money they give you is sufficient), but I used more on travel. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | It all depends on how much you expect to travel outside of France. If you stay in the region, everything is manageable with the allowance they give you. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Beginner |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Elementary French II |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
The host family I was placed with, the advisers of the program, and people in town. Grenoble is a great place to learn French; no one will speak to you in English! |
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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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | A student who would benefit from this program is one who is social and willing to meet people. They should be enthusiastic about learning about the French culture and language. It's a wonderful program once you give it the chance and meet other people that live there. |
