My time in Paris was Wonderful - Institut Catholique was good Past Review

By Hayley M (Chemistry., Tufts University) for

France Study Abroad Reflections: Comprehensive Reviews of Past Programs

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

absolutely worthwhile! my french improved a lot. my knowledge of places outside of the US (specifically Europe) improved drastically. i learned about and experienced a new culture i ate delicious things! i was exposed to new subjects (e.g. art history) that I wouldn't have taken otherwise.. i got to live in a big city i got to travel, stay in hostels, and do the "backpacking" thing (a wonderful and unique experience in and of itself) instead of visiting paris, i got to live in and paris and really get to know it - the touristy things and the wonderful, secret not-so-touristy things...this is an invaluable thing that is not common with any old visitor to europe i had a run, relaxing, and enriching semester, and now I am back at Tufts and ready/able to work hard again. i can't think of what else right now, but it was truley wonderful!

Personal Information

If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here:	Paris VII, Institut Catholique
The term and year this program took place:	Spring 2009

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.	None of my grades transferred (but credit did), so I didn't feel the pressure of getting a top grade. I thought my courses with the sweet briar professors were fabulous and really enriching, and I thought the 2 classes I took in the Parisian university system were a good experience - I didn't learn that much, but it was great to experience a different system and listen to people speak french who weren't specifically speaking to americans/foregin stutdents.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program	Really well run and really well established program - and it shows. They plan a lot of great activities and trips, and they have great connections in the city. They are on top of things and well organized.
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	I lived with a host family in the 17th and it was fabulous! I definitely recommend living with a host family - it was such a great and important experience. SBC chooses their families well and made sure we were well taken care of. <br /><br /> The 17th is a nice, safe area - it's not near a lot of the student night-life scene but Parisian public transportation is great, so it wasn't too much of a problem. I was also right near the 8th (Champs Elysees) and the 2nd (Opera), so that was great!
* Food:	obviously the food in France is out of this world amazing, and my host mom was a great cook!
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	They organize good trips and activities, and the people were social and looking to have fun!
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?
* Safety:	no issues
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	No

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?	A lot. I did a lot of shopping, though, (the semi-annual sales are hard to resist) and Paris is a rather expensive city. I also traveled a lot. You can skimp and budget for sure, but you're going to have to expect to spend more than normal. But you should to some extent - you want to maximize your experience!
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	Get a bank of america account so you don't have ATM fees. You should also get a credit card with no abroad fees (I got capitol one)...there's no reason you should pay for fees.

Language

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program?	Advanced
Language acquisition improvement?	There are a lot of Americans in Paris and a lot of people (French,American, English, etc) who speak English. So it is really hard to escape hearing and speaking English. However, living in a host family, taking all four classes in French, and attempting to do a variety of activities in French still helped me improve my French a lot!