Nantes, France--full of life, music, fun, food, and a place to find friends! Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The course load and teaching methods were different than what I was used to in my university, but all the work was able to be done in a timely manner with ample time to still sightsee after classes. There were many differences in the grading systems, but my host university translated our grades into to American scale after we got back.

On-site administration of your program

The services were great for the most part, the center was open Monday through Friday and we attended classes Monday through Thursday. The administration was very helpful in ways that can't be described. They set up outings for us, showed us good places to go for cultural experiences, and really made us feel at home by personally matching us with a host family that would further our experiences.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The neighborhood I lived in was very safe, centrally located, and a 20 minute walk to class. Nightlife was a little more difficult to get to because buses stopped running on a normal schedule after 8 pm. After that, the bus only came once every hour which made it hard to get back to my house. My host family provided everything for me except my toiletries. Sheets, pillows, blankets and towels were provided by my family as well as breakfast every day and 5 meals per week. I was treated like a guest as well as a family member. They included me on weekend getaways and made me feel very welcomed and at home.

I have no dietary restrictions, but my family was very good about portion sizes and quality of food was great. My host mother cooked dinner every night which included an entree, salad, cheese plate, fresh bread, and dessert each night along with wine. There were a lot of bakeries, cafes, and bars to eat. The boulangeries are a great place to grab a sandwich for lunch. They are always made fresh and reasonably priced. There is also a place called the "restoU" which is a cafeteria style restaurant for University students. it is 2.90 for a 3 course meal. Its definitely not amazing food, but it is like any other university eatery. La Cigalle is a great tea salon in the center of town, close to the university center. It is adorned with beautiful artwork and a great list of teas, wines, coffees, and desserts--a definite must see!

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I was in the Loire valley region-near Bretagne also. There were a lot of Fetes du Bretagne which were very cultural experiences featuring crepes du bretonne, the language "bretonne" which is an old dialect of a french and english mix. There was also music, singing, dancing and beautiful costumes. It was a wonderful experience. In the time I was there I attended 3 of these fetes. I also attended Fete de la Musique which occurs every June 21 throughout France. It was very interesting. All of the streets were lined with different types of music and people walked around to different bars and areas in town to listen to all of the music. In the middle of the town there was a sing a long to kick off the Fete. It was really awesome; we sang traditional French national songs including La Vie en Rose. It was a memorable moment in my experience.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

We lived in host families and were required to speak only French to them, to our teachers, and to one another. When at the study abroad center we had to speak French. Because we were in a smaller city, many people did not know English well, which forced us to use our French more than we would have had to if we were in Paris, for example. Most people did not speak English, and all interactions were in French.

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• Host Family

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• Host Family