Everyone has two home countries. Where they are from and France. Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I attended the American Business School in Paris and for the most part I enjoyed my time attending that school. The work load wasn't too strenuous and not much emphasis was placed on homework. Instead the emphasis was placed on attending your classes, being active in open discussions, and working on several group projects throughout the semester. Understanding the course material was important, but the instructors would rather have you show them through discussions and group work that you are able to apply business strategy in the real world.

On-site administration of your program

I couldn't have asked for a better program to travel than ISA. The support staff in Paris was amazing and always willing to lend a hand. There wasn't an over abundance of students who were in the program so everyone kind of knew everyone which makes things a lot easier. My expectations were easily met and went beyond my original thoughts.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I chose to live with a host family while staying in Paris because I thought that would be the best way to learn the French culture and customs. My host family was very accommodating and I did not have to bring much to the home rather than my personal belongings and my clothes. I was fed breakfast and supper every night of my stay and my host family was willing to show me the ropes of bouncing around Paris and France. To get to my school I lived close enough that it only took a 10-15 minute walk and Paris is a big city with a lot to offer for night so it wasn't to hard to find something to do close by. The metro system is a quick way to get anywhere in Paris. All in all my host family was amazing and treated me like a close family friend throughout my entire stay.

I stayed in France. The food was amazing, there was a lot of it, and quite the diversity to test your taste buds.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

My program had several excursions planned out for us including a trip to the Loire Valley to see French castles and the famous wine country. We also traveled to Normandy and toured Omaha Beach, Mont Saint Michel, and spent the night out on the French coastal city of Caen. We spent a day touring Versailles and our program took us to several locations around Paris itself. Paris is also a good base city to do a lot of traveling throughout Europe. It is relatively easy to bounce to Germany, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Belgium, England, and the rest of the Western European nations. My most memorable traveling though was set up by our program and it is an optional excursion to Morocco. We spent a week in North Africa visiting sites and staying two nights out in the Sahara desert.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

No joke, when you go to Paris you will probably find a Pharmacy on every block of the city. I was able to purchase health care insurance through the program I was traveling with. I did fall ill once but for a short time and it was because I ate something I was warned not to on our last night in Africa. It was my own fault and If I would have followed what they told me then I would have been fine. When I return to Paris though I was able to get checked out by a house call doctor and he prescribed me the medicine that I would need. It took only a couple days to get over the symptoms and I was back on my feet. My biggest piece of advice for safety while in Paris is to look both ways before you cross the street. Haha.

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

For the most part the French had a good understanding of English, but this doesn't mean that you shouldn't learn the language. People seemed to respect you more if you would interact with them in their home language. In major cities like Paris many people speak English, but its a good way to stick out like a sore thumb and look like a tourist if you don't know any French. My recommendation is to learn as much French as possible so it is easier to try and blend into the crowd to get the full cultural feeling that France has to offer.

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• Host Family

Select all that apply

• Host Family