Fulfilling a Goal: Living in Paris Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

This was a great program overall and provided plenty of academic rigor. The course workload was very heavy. I would only recommend taking one course, if you can. Our program offered two courses. Overall, the classes were structured well and weekly excursions as a class enabled me to experience many of the different areas of Paris that I might not otherwise have seen. The instructors were qualified and enjoyable to work with. Grading was fair and the instructors were available to provide additional guidance when needed.

On-site administration of your program

The support staff at the FIAP was excellent. All of the staff spoke multiple languages, were welcoming and friendly, and were very knowledgeable about the area.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Our housing was arranged by KIIS. In Paris, the FIAP had a great staff. Accommodations were bare bones but clean. The downside to this location was the fact that it was host to many teenage student groups. It would have been nice if the university students could have been segregated a bit from the young middle school students who pretty much ran amok through the halls. The staff did patrol the halls at night to enforce quiet hours and were responsive to noise complaints. Linens were provided and there was a regular housekeeping service. It would have been nice if they would have had fans to rent. It got pretty toasty while we were there and our windows could only be opened about 4 inches which didn't allow a lot of air flow. I didn't want to buy a fan only to have to leave it behind. Those 98 and 100 degree days almost changed my mind! Our classes were held on-site which was very convenient. It would have been nice if there had been some quiet study areas for the students to use. I was able to use a classroom on several occasions for quiet study, thanks to the nice FIAP staff!

Dorm food is dorm food regardless of the country. Some food was really good and some...not so much. We weren't allowed to bring in outside food which was frustrating. There are so many markets and tasty options. We didn't have to eat in the dorm, but we had a food allotment that we'd already paid for so it wasn't practical to leave that money behind. Portions at the FIAP were ample and there was a wide selection of entrees, salads and desserts...not to mention all the tasty cheeses. Food outside the dorm was very good from the crepe vendors to the small grocers, open air markets and eateries nearby. Students missing fast food can find McDonalds and KFC within a short walk or train ride. Paris features cuisines from all over the world so there is something there for everyone. If you're not accustomed to eating a variety of food, keep and open mind and try it!

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

The group excursions were enjoyable. I particularly enjoyed our trip to Normandy. I also really liked our excursion to Giverny, home of Claude Monet. Amazingly beautiful place. Not long after we arrived in Paris, the FIAP gave us a very nice, fancy dinner in honor of our being long-term residents. The meal was gourmet quality and excellent. It was a really nice event that made us feel welcome.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Our program director was French so he accompanied any students with health issues to the pharmacy or doctor. He was very attentive and quickly addressed any health issues. The program director and instructors frequently reminded the students about safety concerns and how to protect themselves/belongings when traveling about. As far as safety, the same commonsense practices that you use in the US apply here. Students need to be particularly careful with traveling to high tourist areas. Wear purses or bags draped across your body and make sure that they are zipped closed to make it more difficult for pickpockets to access your valuables. Make ATM trips with a buddy so that someone can watch out while you get your money. I felt very safe in Paris even at night, though I was careful and always paid careful attention to my surroundings if I was alone. No special vaccines or physicals were needed for this trip. One word of advice, if you need an inhaler on occasion in the US to treat asthma, make sure you take a full inhaler with you. There was no a/c in the dorm and Europeans in general have a different view of a/c than Americans who like their buildings to be frosty. A/C in Paris was barely discernible. As a result, I had a lot of issues with my asthma--something that rarely bothers me at home. Talk with your doctor about any additional preventative measures that you might need to have to keep your symptoms under control.

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

Select all that apply

• Hostel

Select all that apply

• Americans

• I loved that I got to live in a foreign country for an extended period of time.
• I got to meet new people and experience a different culture.
• I got to put my foreign language skills to good use.

• A single room would have been nice. Living with roommates for 5 weeks gets a little wearing.
• Would have been nice to have quiet areas for study. Our room did not have any desks and the common areas were too loud for reading or writing papers.
• The group excursions were nice, but traveling in large groups of people was often problematic especially for the class excursions. Not sure how to remedy this.