Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

BU Paris Internship Past Review

By (Philosophy., Brandeis University) - abroad from 01/07/2013 to 04/25/2013 with

Boston University: Paris - Internship Program

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned how much more of an effort it takes to learn a language than the lackadaisical approach that I had taken in the past. It was a worthwhile experience, especially the internship.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Not as challenging as at Brandeis, but they do a good job with becoming comfortable in speaking French, and supplying plenty of resources.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I was lucky to receive a wonderful homestay family.

* Food:

Relates to the quality of my homestay family.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I made few French friends, but that was completely my fault.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

Paris is safe, but just watch out for pickpockets.

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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 30 dollars
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Go to grocery stores and buy for the week. Pick two nights a week to spend money on restaurant food.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

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? Advanced
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? FR 106
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? Just get into situations where it's possible to speak with native speakers. It always takes more effort from the student than anyone else. Don't worry about accent. Think about all of the people you know who don't have native American accents that speak English perfectly.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* 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?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • The internship was great. It offered a lot of insight and helped me the most with my French.
* What could be improved?
  • I would force kids to speak French on the campus. Use real elementary school measures like participation cuts if caught using English.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I would come in willing to regularly study vocabulary on my own to supplement the good grammar instruction given by the program.