Summer Contemporary French Studies: An Assessment Past Review

By Andrew K (Political Science, Ohio State University - Columbus) for

CIEE: Paris - Summer Contemporary Music Creation + Critique

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

I was certainly satisfied with it, as I definitely improved my French and I got to see and do things that most people will never do in a lifetime. However, I still feel like the program didn't stress the all important cultural immersion enough; I feel that we should have had more structured opportunities to meet and interact with locals.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.	The workload was good, and the grading system was fair. The teacher was enthusiastic and helpful.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program	They were extremely friendly and made the entire experience memorable.
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?
* Food:	The selection from the local bakery became rather mundane after awhile.
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	We definitely saw a lot. I loved traveling all over France and being immersed in the history and culture. I just wish the program had provided a few more opportunities for me to meet and interact with more local Parisians, as my conversation partner only met me once, and we never spoke again afterwards.
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?
* Safety:	Fairly safe. The area we were staying (Buttes-Chaumont neighborhood in Paris) made me feel slightly uncomfortable from time to time, though.
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	No

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)

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component?	Yes
Language acquisition improvement?	I used the host country language to purchase goods at the store and to interact with people running the program. Unfortunately I wasn't heavily exposed to local residents in situations other than these.