10 months in Switzerland permanently changed my life for the better! Past Review
By A student () for
ISEP Exchange: Lausanne - Exchange Program at Université de Lausanne
Yes. I became a much better person because of this experience. I am more outgoing, I speak another language fluently, I am more independent, and I learned how to adapt to a different environment/culture in an appropriate manner. An experience abroad opened my eyes to the size of the world and showed me how rewarding it is to pursue opportunities abroad.
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. |
Education in Switzerland was much more laid back than what I was used to in an American setting- class normally met once a week for 2 hours and their was very little required homework. Most of the grades came from one or two tests per semester and/or a written paper. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The orientation experience was much different than what one would get at an American university. There was a one day orientation session that wasn't very organized and confused most of the students more than anything. After a couple of weeks, however, everything started making sense and I knew what was going on. Overall, I was pleased with the program. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
Living in Europe allowed me to change my American eating habits--I now eat foods that are healthier for me and in appropriate portion sizes. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The school organized a lot of Pub Nights, which allowed the international students to meet each other in a purely social (non-academic setting). Most of the travelling I did in Switzerland was organized by myself and/or other friends. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I was not worried about my safety; Switzerland is a very safe country. |
| 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) |
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Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| Language acquisition improvement? |
A lot of people did speak English, but I was enrolled in EFLE (École de Français Langue Étrangère) which was the French as a foreign language department at the university. This was an excellent program for those looking to improve their French skills. I was able to take all of my courses in French, which greatly improved my French skills. I would recommend this program to anybody wishing to improve their French skills. |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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