To Nantes and Back: A Student's Tale Past Review
By A student (English, French, University of the Pacific) - abroad from 01/11/2012 to 05/12/2012 with
IES Abroad: Nantes - French Language Immersion & Area Studies
I have gained confidence in myself and the desire to travel more in the future. It was very worthwile.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Some students had wonderful families. Mine met the requirements and that was it. |
| * Food: |
It was sometimes difficult for students with dietary restrictions/needs (vegetarians, lactose intolerant, etc) to get well-rounded meals during program trips/homestay. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
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| 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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| * 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? | 60-80 euros a week |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | You will spend a lot more than the estimate! |
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? | Several upper-division French courses |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | 10+ |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Look up common verbs/nouns. If you're going abroad to this program, your grammar is probably fine by now. The only issue when you're trying navigate day-to-day life will be vocabulary. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
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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? | 0 |
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? | The heating isn't always working, so bring REALLY warm clothes for inside the house or when you sleep. Be prepared to walk everywhere, the public transportation isn't the best. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
French 19th and 20th Century Art |
| Course Department: | Art History |
| Instructor: | Mme Josse |
| Instruction Language: | French |
| Comments: | The course was challenging and very rewarding. We had trips to important architectural landmakrs around the city, which tied in well with what we were learning in the classroom. Mme Josse was passionate and knowledgable about the subject. She was readily available to talk outside of classtime. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | No. |
