It was the best of times, it was the worst of times... Past Review
By Taylor N (Entrepreneurship, Baylor University) - abroad from 09/01/2014 to 12/16/2014 with
CUPA: Paris - Study Abroad in Paris
Other than huge progress in French, wherever you are, it is what you make. My time there was one of the hardest things I've ever done and I wanted to give up so many times but you have no choice but to put one foot in front of the other and make the best of the situation.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
As difficult as the program was, the amount of progress I made was insurmountable. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Couldn't have been more helpful, there were tutors available at nearly anytime during the week to help with work, papers, or upcoming tests. They were also more than willing to just sit down and talk about anything that was going on that I was going through. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I wasn't a big fan of my host family but I requested to live with someone close to my age so I had a host brother that was 22. Being able to hang out with him and his friends made up for having to deal with the parents. |
| * Food: |
Excellent food, but not having American portions took some getting used to. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
It was a slow progression but I eventually felt very comfortable in the culture as well as being around my French friends that I made at university. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I got really sick during the semester but refused to go to a doctor until my host dad would not stop insisting. It took about 25 mins to walk to the doctor's office and have my checkup. That being said, it was not nearly as thorough as it is in the states. He gave me a prescription and I went to the pharmacy to pick up my medicine. Very cheap |
| * Safety: |
Paris has never been the safest place, you really have to be suspicious of everyone. Wallets always in front pockets and always have a hand on your bag. At a place where your sitting down, put either the leg of the chair or your leg through the strap of your bag. |
| 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? | Around 150 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Eat at the university restaurants if you want to eat really cheaply, or get a job teaching english. CUPA has plenty of opportunities if you'd like to earn extra money. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
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| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| 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? | 4000 level |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Make friends that don't speak English and get a job teaching English, you'll use much more French than you will English by teaching. |
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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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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| 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? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | There's not a lot of exposure to American students after orientation is over. |
Reasons For Studying Abroad
| To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you. |
The Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
