Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

An American (working) in Paris Past Review

By (Brandeis University) - abroad from 05/16/2018 to 07/14/2018 with

Boston University: Paris - Internship Program

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I gained more language confidence than I thought was possible, every day I really did learn something new. It was an incredible worthwhile experience

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The rigor of the course exactly matched the atmosphere of the program. Between my internship and homework, I still had plenty of time to explore the city and have adventures, but had to focus on studying in the rest of my free time.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The administration was excellent, they were there every step of the way with open arms. They went out of their way to engage with each student, and help us become as integrated as possible

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The dorms used for this program are very old, the showers are sketchy at best and the wifi was spotty. However the facilities were very clean and very safe.

* Food:

I did not use the program's food, but France is a culinary capital! It was very expensive for some food items and very cheap for others.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I had no health issues

* Safety:

Paris is a hot spot for pick pockets, as well as harassment. The BU administration and the dorms were the exception, and did everything possible to make us feel safe

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

This was the perfect experience on paper. The internship, class, and homestay options make for integration into the country seamless. The faculty and staff was amazing. The only drawback for me was my internship, the company BU partnered with to find the internships did not find me an adequate placement, and refused to correct their mistake.

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)

Paris is a very expensive city, with transportation costs, tourism costs, food costs, and extra expenses I was spending almost 200 a week.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 200

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

They encouraged 24/7 immersion

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? 4
How many hours per day did you use the language?

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* 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?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • The location
  • The staff of the program
  • The classes in the program
* What could be improved?
  • EUSA, the internship company
  • BU's communication with EUSA
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I knew that I would be supported by the BU staff 100%. I would have been a lot less nervous.

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 Outright Urbanite
A social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country.