It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I give four-and-a-half stars for the academic rigor, as this program was an intense, full-immersion experience. This rigor, however, is a double-edged sword, and my rating is not completely positive. The academic intensity of the Middlebury program, though necessary (to an extent) for improving fluency, makes for a stressful experience. The Middlebury School in France holds participating students to a high standard and demands academic excellence as well as a complete commitment to attaining fluency. These pressures are a catalyst for improvement and growth, but can also be limiting—I, for example, found that I spent the majority of my time in Bordeaux, France either in class or in the library, bent over my textbooks. Furthermore, most of my memories of my abroad experience are of the hours I spent studying, not of the hours I spent exploring, speaking, or interacting socially with other students (both French and foreign). In fact, as a result of the academic workload, I did very little traveling at all, either within the Aquitaine region or elsewhere in France. Rather than placing extreme emphasis on the academic aspect of study abroad, I wish that Middlebury had more emphasized the benefits of cultural exploration, and had made it easier for students to travel, explore the city in which they were studying, and spend time outside of the classroom. I'm grateful for all that I learned during my time in Bordeaux, France, but I'll admit, I was relieved when this program came to a close. By the end, I was absolutely exhausted. One final, important distinction: My American peers in the Middlebury School in France program who hailed from other competitive U.S. colleges (Bowdoin, Bates, Amherst, etc.) were permitted to take all of their coursework Pass/Fail, therefore not affecting the ever-important GPA, and permitting them a much richer cultural experience through travel, entertainment, etc. Conversely, Middlebury students like myself were required to enroll in classes for a letter grade that then impacted our GPAs. Therefore, I, as well as my Middlebury peers, felt the constant pressure to achieve stellar grades in order not to jeopardize our academic standing at Middlebury.

On-site administration of your program

The administration at the Université de Bordeaux-Montaigne is, in short, a bureaucratic nightmare. Middlebury personnel were able to provide some assistance in navigating the French university system, but due to recent administrative changes at the Université, registering for courses, joining clubs, etc. was quite a headache.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

It was extremely difficult to integrate into the French university system/French student culture.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Healthcare issues that might arise while studying abroad were briefly addressed during orientation. I was lucky enough not to have to ask for healthcare assistance during my stay in France.

I felt safe throughout my stay in Bordeaux.

I need to clarify: I would choose to do the Middlebury program again PROVIDED THAT Middlebury give their students the option to take courses Pass/Fail.

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

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

Students on my program were required to speak solely in French for the duration of the program. Failure to do so resulted in being discharged from the program.

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• Host Family

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• Host Family

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• Local Students

• Language Pledge
• The two group trips that Middlebury offered to students

• Academic stress/academic advising
• Process of obtaining social insurance/house insurance (required by Middlebury) was extremely complicated and badly organized

The Academic or Linguist