Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Incredible Past Review

By (French Studies., The University of Texas at Austin) - abroad from 08/18/2014 to 12/19/2014 with

IFE: Paris Field Study

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I became substantially more fluent and grew a lot personally. It was completely worthwhile, I would do it all over again in a heartbeat.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I loved IFE. The structure of it, the methods and strategies of learning that they've set up, the quality of the IFE team of directors and also of the professors. The IFE team was always available with answers and a genuine willingness to help. The semester overall was a fantastic experience and I have nothing but good to report back.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I loved my neighborhood and my arrondissement, but I hated living in a dorm and I was really bummed not to have my own kitchen as I cook a lot. I think that was really the difficulty for me when it comes to where I lived.

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

Paris is very populated and relatively safe. It's well lit, however there are the occasional homeless person/people or random people in general who drunkenly spew off at you while you're walking by. This happens at any hour of the day though and isn't necessarily dangerous for the most part. Just don't walk around alone in remote areas or outskirts, and use general common sense like you would in any populated metropolitan city.

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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $150
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Go to the open air markets if you are in Europe. They are substantially cheaper and substantially more fresh. It saves you a lot of money in the end and cuts down your grocery costs.

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

No English was spoken whatsoever.

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Advanced
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Fluent
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? FR372L
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? Don't stick with your American friends because it's easy and comfortable. Go make friends with the students from that country! It makes for a MUCH more enriching experience in every way possible-- culturally, linguistically, mentally, etc.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
* 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?
  • Independence and freedom
  • Extreme immersion
  • The IFE team
* What could be improved?
  • The level of French of a small handful of students.
  • Having more small breaks in between the long, long days in the 5 week preparatory session. We had one break that would generally last half an hour. If we could've allocated that one break worth 30 minutes, I think we would've rather had several 5 or 10 minute breaks in between a 3 hour course. That would've kept our attention span running more efficiently, in my opinion.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? That some foyers have a small stove top/kitchenette in your dorm room-- you just have to opt to not have a meal plan. I had no idea, I assumed not getting a meal plan also meant no kitchen or stovetops either.

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 Linguist
You 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!