Reid Hall: An Unforgettable Experience Past Review
By Sarah I (Comparative Literature., Barnard College) for
Columbia University: Paris - Reid Hall
Absolutely. My language skills improved by leaps and bounds, I experienced a different university system, my social skills also improved, and I had the time of my life.
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 found the French students to be much more committed to their studies, intellectual, and studious than their American peers. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The staff at Reid Hall were incredibly pleasant,kind, and compassionate and they remained incredibly supportive as I requested accommodations. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I found that my housing situation did not provide enough light for me to comfortable work by. I also found that my host mother was less than willing to reach out and help if I were having a problem due to my vision impairment. |
| * Food: |
I was very pleased with the nation's food in general, just not particularly thrilled about my host mother's cooking. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The field trip to Reims was fun and informative |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I found Paris to be a very safe city. I never felt uncomfortable or frightened, as my experience in New York had prepared me with basic "street smarts". |
| 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? | 100 euros |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | The sink in my bedroom clogged halfway through the semester, and my host mother requested I pay the 100 euro repair fee, although she had been paid in full for the entire semester prior to January. |
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? | 20th Century French Thought |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
All of my classes, advisor meetings, and transactions were conducted in French, as well as all communication with my host mother. |
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 do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | The program was just as, if not more, rigorous than classes at Barnard and Columbia. This program is for the studious and academically inclined individual who is as serious and exploring different pedagogical methods as sightseeing. |
