It changed my life for the better. Past Review
By Dana W (French Language Teacher Education., University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh) for
Caen University: Caen - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
Independence and Confidence in myself. I was lost before I went but now had a clear cut path of what I wanted out of life.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The French grading system is very different from the American grading system, so that for me was difficult. The French philosophy as "You can always improve, there is no such thing as a perfect grade," is not something one sees in most American universities. The teachers seemed to care about us as foreign students but the personal relationships that are sometimes formed in American schools again were absent. France universities do not have a lot of technology or access to resources as it is all publicly funded, so sometimes technology to enhance teaching was lacking. You are with all foreign people the entire time, but not really any normal French university students, which is kind of bummer. However it does give you a chance to meet a lot of students and learn about other cultures. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Some of the staff are really good at communicating with foreign students, willing to answer your questions, and willing to help. Others were just so, well, French. The French way of doing things is a lot more complicated than Americans are used to, but again this was just a cultural adjustment I had to make. One time there was a snow day and the university didn't bother to email us, nor did the professors. Some got angry if we weren't in class, even though the buses were shut down. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I lived with a wonderful French host family of whom I still am in touch with. I had my own bedroom and the family really made an effort to include me in a lot of activities but still gave me my space (for the most part). The only downside was that I was far from campus, so it took awhile to get into town and I always had to plan ahead. |
| * Food: |
French food is amazing! My host family spoiled me rotten and the school food isn't terrible; if anything the city is full of restaurants, cafes, bars, pubs, and boulangeries. Needless to say I came home a few pounds heavier! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The university planned a lot of excursions, which my program pre-paid for, so that was nice. Additionally we had most weekends free and 2 weeks for break. It's easy to extend your plane and stay longer. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I felt very safe and not ever threatened to walk home alone at night, *though my host family was never too happy haha! My host brother was a doctor so when I had health concerns I could just turn to him. We are all required to go to a doctor upon arrival, so that was difficult just because I didn't know the vocabulary. This was new for my program, so we were on our own but now they have done a much better job preparing the students. |
| 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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Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
I lived with a French host family so I practiced a lot with them. Anytime I was in town or in a restaurant, bar, or cafe, I had to use French. Some of my classmates and professors didn't speak English, so I also used French in all of my classes as I was studying the French language! |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Direct Enrollment |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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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? | Be sure to check out your area, and France before branching out all over Europe! Something I definitely wish I did! |
