Empowerment Past Review
By Ariel11 (Politics, Brandeis University) for
France Study Abroad Reflections: Comprehensive Reviews of Past Programs
I'm a very resilient person who can most the most of any situation, and while difficult to adapt at first, Paris was an amazing experience. It was definitely worthwhile and helped me mature.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: | Université Sorbonne Nouvelle - Paris III, L'Institut Catholique, Université Sorbonne - Paris IV |
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Helpful staff and great one-on-one assistance from Parisian professors |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My host was very attentive and like a second mother to me. I stayed with her for the entire academic year and was extremely happy and grateful for her hospitality. |
| * Food: |
My host mom was a great cook and served me breakfasts everyday and dinners six days a week. She always had food in the house that she knew I liked. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Toward the end of my stay, I felt very comfortable in my environment. I was very independent and was given my own room in my host's apartment. It was great to communicate with her over dinner. She was always ready to help if I needed advice or directions on how to get to a specific location in Paris. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I had part of my invisible retainer removed because the wire broke while I was in Paris. One woman helped me find an orthodontist nearby and explained to him my situation before I arrived. I didn't need any vaccines specifically for the program, and there weren't any prevalent health issues in Paris. |
| * Safety: |
I lived in a very safe neighborhood in Paris (the 2nd arrondissement). Upon first arriving, I asked my host mom about the area's safety--especially if I were to come home late at night. She told me that there are always lights on in the neighborhood and because I was in the center of Paris, people would always be around. This, however, was not the case in all of Paris, so I asked my host mom about safety before going to a new place at night. If you're a female, be cautious late at night if you're by yourself. Treatment toward females is different in Europe. Men can be more abrasive and forward. |
| 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) |
Because most of my meals were covered under my program, I didn't spend that much money weekly on food. I typically purchased lunches at grocery stores to keep the costs low. On vacations, I spent more money on food because I often went out to restaurants with my friends. |
| * Was housing included in your program cost? | Yes |
| * Was food included in your program cost? | Yes |
| 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? | Keep a money sheet and stick to it. Set money aside for each semester for food, allowance, clothing, etc. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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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| 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? | Even though I knew it would be hard to adjust, I didn't think it would take as long as it did. |
