beautiful and relaxing Past Review

By (SUNY - Fashion Institute of Technology) - abroad from 08/26/2019 to 12/17/2019 with

Institute for American Universities (IAU): The School of Humanities & Social Sciences, Aix-en-Provence, France

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
how to navigate in different cultures and travel like a pro

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

harder than my normal classes, lots of homework. Teachers were not very accommodating of student's needs nor were they sensitive to cultural differences. learned a lot though.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Excursions and school activities were well planned and very enjoyable.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Amazing host family. Couldn't have been more pleased.

* Food:

no complaints.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Good, the french are not super friendly but it was good overall

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I was given proper instruction but it was difficult to communicate with doctors and other health care staff. I would have preferred more details to have made my experience easier

* Safety:

Never felt in harm

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)

I wish I would have saved more but it worked out fine

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $3,000
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? save more just in case, and make a budget before you get there

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

gained a lot of experience speaking that improved my french. staff not very encouraging during class time though

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Beginner
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Intermediate
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? speak as much as you can! make friends with people who speak the language

Direct Enrollment/Exchange

* Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? Exchange

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

  • Americans
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 city
  • the food
  • my host family
* What could be improved?
  • staff's sensitivity to students needs
  • help with healthcare
  • more interaction with french students in school
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? save more money!

Reasons For Studying Abroad

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The Outright Urbanite
A social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country.