Research at ENSCR: Great Facilities, Great People, Great Experience! Past Review
By Samantha C (Biology: Biomedical, University of Northern Iowa) for
l’Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Rennes: Rennes - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
I learned so many new lab techniques and a greater understanding of organic chemistry. Aside from the actual research learning, the people of France and of ENSCR are fantastic and I learned so much about their culture and country. It was an amazing experience that I will never forget!
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
|
* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I could not have asked for a better experience with my host university. They were fantastic and extremely informative and helpful. I learned so much while I was with them and the experience will stay with me for the rest of my life. |
|
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
My host country program administration was fantastic. They were so helpful and made me feel extremely welcome. They focused my studies on topics I was interested in and did everything they could to make my experience run smoothly. |
|
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Living on campus was great. We were close to classes, and there were 3 bus stops nearby that would take us pretty much anywhere we needed to go within the city. The supermarket was only a 5 minute walk away. |
| * Food: |
The food was fantastic! The portion sizes are a little smaller than the American ones, but the quality of the food is much better than American standards. The food was always so fresh and delicious. When visiting Rennes, a creperie and pizzaria are a necessity. We went to many creperies and pizzarias and were never disappointed by the food. |
|
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
While in France, there were many festivals and attractions we visited. We went on trips to San Malo and Mount St Michele, both experiences were fantastic and the places were absolutely gorgeous. Within the city of Rennes, is the Thabor Gardens, the garden was absolutely gorgeous and a fantastic place to meet with friends and share a bottle of wine. The Rose Garden in the Thabor Garden is defintely a must-see attraction. My favorite experience while in Rennes was Fete de la Musique, it is a music festival the city puts on. On every street corner within the city and in every bar there is a band playing. They had all types of music and the festival was so amazing. |
|
* 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? |
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) |
|
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
|
| Language acquisition improvement? |
I practiced the language with the friends that I made while I was in France. You did not necessarily NEED to know French in order to survive in the country, but knowledge of conversational French would have been extremely helpful. Majority of the people I encountered while over there spoke atleast SOME english, but it was by no means fluent. I feel that if a person plans on taking this course, they atleast take one class in french. It would help them so much while in the country and the French greatly appreciate it when you are able to speak their language. |
Other Program Information
|
* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
|
A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | If you plan on taking this course through University of Northern Iowa Study Abroad Office, stay on top of them to get the trip planned and planned correctly. Otherwise, you are in for a lot of headaches and a large increase in your stress level. I HIGHLY recommend this program however for any student interested in chemistry, it was a fantastic program and I learned so much while I was there. |
