Annecy: The Most Exciting, Fun, Amazing Experience of my Life Past Review
By Brynn A (Biology/Pre-Med, Truman State University) for
College Consortium for International Studies (CCIS): Annecy - Institut Français des Alpes
Absolutely! I learned a lot about France but also about cultures from all around the world since the students in my class were from all parts of the globe. This was my first time out of America and really made me want to keep traveling. I've seen only a small part of the world and this has made me want to keep exploring.
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 teaching method involved a lot of discussion and oral activities. Focusing on the oral comprehension and speaking allowed me to quickly and dramatically improve my understanding and speaking abilities. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
For learning French, I would really recommend this institution. The faculty were very friendly and interested in making sure their students were learning and progressing. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My host parents were incredibly kind and welcoming. They helped me with my language and getting settled into Annecy. The house was in a safe location about a 20 minute walk to school and the center of town. |
| * Food: |
My host mom was a wonderful cook and made typical French meals each evening. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I made some really great friends during my semester abroad. We traveled together, studied together, partied together, and grew really close. I'm already planning my next trip in my head to be able to visit all the wonderful people I met. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Annecy is a very safe, quiet town. I never felt like I was in danger, even at night. The health system was easily accessible. I was sick during my time in France and was referred to a doctor by my school. He was friendly and spoke to me in French, which was a nice surprise, most people immediately responded to me in English when they heard my accent. When it came time to tell me my diagnosis and the medications he was prescribing he spoke in English to make sure I understood. |
| 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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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | I spent more money than I was expecting. I think this was due in large part to the ever worsening dollar to euro rate. All together, I probably spent about $100 per week. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | I went into this planning to spend every penny I had saved up while I was there. I budgeting a little tighter at the beginning, but was able to take advantage of a little extra spending money while traveling because of this. Don't spend more than you can afford, but don't skip something you'll regret. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Beginner |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | French Civilization I |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
My class was only French language. At school and, because I lived with a host family, at home I only spoke French as well/ |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | DO IT!!! If you have any desire at all to study abroad, do it! It's an unbelievable experience. You'll learn so much about the world and different people, have amazing experience and memories, and make some really great friends. I studied in France for 4 months and was not at all ready to come home when my time was up. |
