Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Fall Semester in Bordeaux Past Review

By (Middlebury College) - abroad from 09/02/2019 to 12/18/2019 with

Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Bordeaux

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
My French language skills got a lot better and I got more self-sufficient, which I suppose was the goal. Also I'll be able to graduate now.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

It was a very different system than I was used to and I had much less work than I typically do.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

My host family was lovely!

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I was homesick and lonely a lot of the time.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I had no dealings with the health care system but I think it was probably fine.

* Safety:

I mean it's a city, so don't be stupid and pay attention when you're out walking around at night, especially alone. I had no issues.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

I mean, maybe I would. I'm not actually sure. I enjoyed the city and my French got a lot better, but I felt very isolated and didn't really integrate with the local life. I may have had a better experience elsewhere.

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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? ~35-50 euros/week

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

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

I signed a pledge.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • International Students
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Full immersion approach to language
  • Middlebury-organized excusions around France
  • Direct enrollment at a local university
* What could be improved?
  • Having a prior understanding of how classes and credits work
  • Clarity in terms of course requirements going in
  • Some kind of metric for credit transfers
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Club sports don't work in France the way they do in the US. Doing a school-affiliated sport will be better for meeting people your own age.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you.
The Academic or Linguist
You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Culture Générale
Course Department:
Instructor: Prof. Gilles SAUVÊTRE
Instruction Language: French
Comments: Honestly this course was a waste of time. There was no subject, no course plan, minimal instruction, and limited relevance. More so because the professor was condescending towards myself and the other American student, initially refusing to grade our work because we were not at the same linguistic level as the native-speaking French students. I learned remarkably little, and could have done without an obligatory 8am course on nothing at all.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Méthodes des Sciences Sociales
Course Department:
Instructor: Prof. RAMZY
Instruction Language: French
Comments: A lot of what was covered was already familiar to me, from courses I had taken at Middlebury, so it wasn't challenging in that sense. The main challenge was a partnered project requiring us to perform and transcribe interviews, which was intimidating but a good exercise. I appreciated the professor because she made sure myself and the other American student in the class could keep up.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Institutions Politiques Françaises
Course Department:
Instructor: Prof. LAFORE
Instruction Language: French
Comments: It wasn't challenging, as it was entirely lecture based with no assigned reading or homework, but it was useful to have some background on the French political system while studying at a French Institute of Political Studies.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Institutions Européennes
Course Department:
Instructor: Prof. SZYMCZAK
Instruction Language:
Comments: A very interesting course! The professor was engaging and easy to understand and the material lined up closely with my field of study at home.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Histoire Globale
Course Department:
Instructor: Prof. LAUX
Instruction Language: French
Comments: Interesting topics, but only covered for a day or two each so not always super in-depth (or rather, in-depth but on very specific and not-always-connected things). The professor was a very dry lecturer but spoke slowly and was easy to understand.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Relations et Organisations Internationales
Course Department:
Instructor: Prof. BERTRAND
Instruction Language: French
Comments: Interesting course! Basically a course on the League of Nations and the UN, and the professor was a fairly engaging and obviously knowledgeable lecturer.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Français Langue Etrangère
Course Department:
Instructor: Prof. BÉZIADE
Instruction Language:
Comments: Not that challenging. Good to review some French grammar structures but ultimately not much to report.
Credit Transfer Issues: