Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

I'm really not sure. I just wasn't as satisfied as I hoped to be. Past Review

By (Psychology/French, Clark University - Worcester) - abroad from 01/16/2012 to 05/19/2012 with

CIEE: Rennes - Liberal Arts

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I gained more self confidence in my linguistic abilities as well as travelling alone.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

There were some courses, like the grammar course which was really good and effective. However, there were a couple of electives such as (Literature and International Relations) which were taught terribly. I gained nothing from International Relations and just wasted my time. Literature was terribly boring and I also did not benefit at all from taking the course.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The directors were wonderful people. They did a great job of picking tour guides and taking the group to places as well as setting up a few socials. However, they did not do their best job in picking host families.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

There were a lot of people who got great housing assignments however there were a bunch of others who had TERRIBLE housing experiences, myself included. The host families that were chosen for the students who did not have good experience were very concentrated on the money and not about integrating the students into their lives. I would have hoped that the directors were more active about moving the unhappy students to better homes.

* Food:

It's France...what else is there to say?

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I'm not sure. I speak very well so it was easier for me to meet French people and to try and understand their culture better but it was very difficult because you never have courses with French people and they sort of stick to themselves. My host mother was an unpleasant person so it was difficult to understand the culture through her as much as I tried to get ti know it.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I didn't have to deal with this.

* Safety:

In general, Rennes is a safe place. However, there are barely ever any cops around at night and so the crazy people tend to come out at such hours (9/10pm). So, I felt unsafe a couple of times having to stand alone waiting for the bus. I'm not sure that the directors could have done anything more for us. They did warn us to walk in groups however.

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)

Well.

* Was housing included in your program cost? Yes
* Was food included in your program cost? Yes
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? Maybe 20 euros when I didn't shop. Sometimes less.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Not really. I wouldn't buy a lot of clothes there because they tend to get ruined with american clothes washers.

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? Advanced
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? C2 level Literature
How many hours per day did you use the language? 10+
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? Go out and meet people at bars. Meet students in the CIREFE cafe.

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
  • International Students
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?
  • I enjoyed the trips set up by the directors. I loved the time we spent in Paris.
* What could be improved?
  • The elective courses.
  • The housing selection.
  • More international parties to meet French people.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? That it's better to switch to a different family as soon as you realize things aren't going well. I would try to find out as much about the transportation system as possible so I could visit more places.