Paris - I am definitely coming back! Past Review
By Didar K (Comparative Literature., Harvard University) for
Columbia University: Paris - Reid Hall, Summer
I fell in love with European architecture. I am currently looking for Drawing/History of Art classes to pursue my interests. And I would like to come back to France to do my master's or at least do term-time in Paris.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I had an amazing professor, she was genuinely interested in the subject she taught. She delivers energetic lectures and assigns projects that improve speaking skills. The workload was manageable, the grading system was European (a scale of 20). It was not too different from the system employed by my host university. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Everything was fine except for wild, uncultured students. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The housing itself is amazing, Cite Universitaire was beautiful and not too far from an amaing Montsouris Park. However, I wished I could stay in a house with international students, as students at Fondation des Etats Unis were very loud at night. Also, I was not allowed to house guests, but other houses allowed overnight guests at a low cost. |
| * Food: |
Just eat baguettes everyday. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Giverny trip, cooking atelier, wine degustation. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
No health issues, lots of advice on safety. |
| 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 20-30 euros per day on food. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Traveling around Europe can be costly unless tickets are reserved in advance. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | French 30: Advanced Language Review |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
Although excursions and wine degustation were entirely conducted in French, all the students spoke English or even found other American exchange students. In order to practice French, I got involved in non-Reid Hall activities, such as Franglish language exchange event or local students seeking to improve their English. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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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? | HANG OUT WITH FRENCH PEOPLE. MAKE FRENCH FRIENDS. EXPAND YOUR HORIZONS. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
H3334: Introduction to Literary Analysis (1800s to the present) |
| Course Department: | H3334 |
| Instructor: | Severine Martin |
| Instruction Language: | French |
| Comments: | Awesome professor and great reading. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | There is a technicality with the required minimum contact hours that hinders the credit application process. Harvard grants 1 credit for 2 Columbia courses, but the OIP FAQ claims that for a course to be considered, a course should be a minimum of 45 contact. |
