Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Toulouse, je t'aime Past Review

By (IR, Tufts University) - abroad from 09/01/2012 to 01/13/2013 with

Dickinson College: Toulouse - Dickinson in France

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Great to get an inside view of another culture and become more proficient in a foreign language

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Mandatory check-up at OFII took forever; otherwise, no health issues

* Safety:

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 50
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Buy groceries/make food at home; eat at the student cafeterias

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

required at all times during program hours

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? Fluent
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? FR 32
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? Brush up on vocab/verb tenses; otherwise just dive in when you get there

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

  • Local Students
  • 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?
  • the food
* What could be improved?
  • more program-led interactions with local students at the beginning
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? it would have been nice to know a few people ahead of time, but everything worked out fine

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 Avid Adventurer
The wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal.