Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Lived in France... didn't learn French?? Past Review

By (Austin College) - abroad from 01/25/2012 to 05/17/2012 with

ISA Study Abroad in Paris, France

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned that I can put up with alot more crap than I thought I could. Studying abroad isn't as glamorous as many people expect it to be, and daily life (going to classes, hanging out with friends, drama) is very similar to life back home. It was worthwhile though.

Personal Information

If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: American Business School Paris
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.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* 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:

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? No

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)

* 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? $75-$150
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? don't eat out much, don't drink much, and buy most of your meals from the grocery store.

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

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? Intermediate
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? FRE 450
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? Talking with the host family. Unfortunately, my roommate didn't speak any French at all, so our host family spoke exclusively English when she was around. Our family didn't interact with us outside of meal times, so there was no time for me to speak French with my family without my roommate there.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • Host Family
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
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?
  • most of the staff was friendly
* What could be improved?
  • better matching of roommates based on language ability
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? That the program doesn't match you with a roommate of comparable language ability.