Paris is a city that you can fall in love with Past Review
By A student (Art History and French, Pennsylvania State University - University Park / Penn State) - abroad from 01/12/2015 to 04/30/2015 with
IES Abroad: Paris - French Studies
I learned how to be more confident in my language abilities and to take action to accomplish my goals. I learned how to understand and confront cultural differences. The amount of academic and personal growth that I experienced made this program worthwhile.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
There was a lot of busy work that prevented me from focusing on the aspects of my studies that mattered most and having the time to immerse myself in Paris' culture. Our work was graded fairly and classes were engaging. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The staff made a sincere effort to support and help the students. They provided many opportunities to get involved in and outside of the IES Center. At times they placed too much emphasis on participating in their activities and this made it difficult to find a balance between school commitments and my personal goals for the semester. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My host family was one of the best parts of my study abroad experience. Through my conversations with my host parents I learned more about French culture and language than I ever could in a classroom setting. My host parents were kind, funny, caring and welcoming. Their generosity alleviated any homesickness that I was feeling, and their advice helped me make the most of my time in Paris. |
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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) |
Paris is a very expensive city so sticking to my student budget meant choosing not to get involved in a lot of trips and activities. The scholarships that I was awarded through Penn State and IES helped so much. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 50-100 per week |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Try to cook meals at your apartment or home stay instead of eating at restaurants. Have a weekly budget and stick to it to your best ability. Set aside money for special occasions or events. Don't try to do everything, choose to participate in the trips/activities that matter most to you. Always keep a copy of your visa and passport and your student ID because these documents can get you discounts and free admission to things. |
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? | 400 level |
| 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? | Brush up on any grammar that you are rusty on. Learn how to say basic things that you would need to communicate on a daily basis so you can interact with people more easily. Read books in that language or watch movies in that language. |
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? | I wish I had a more detailed description of IES courses so that I understood how much work was involved for each one, what the course material covered, how much time out of class trips took and how the internship program worked |
Reasons For Studying Abroad
| To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you. |
The Academic or LinguistYou went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you! |
