Learning French and Wine: My One-of-a-Kind Semester in Bordeaux August 22, 2025
By A student (English: Creative Writing, Colby College) - abroad from 01/04/2025 to 05/15/2025 with
Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Bordeaux
I learned so much this semester -- it was absolutely a worthwhile experience. I grew my French speaking skills in ways that I would not be able to in a non-francophone environment. I became more independent living in a city (which I had never done before) and not only making new friends but also traveling by myself to meet up with friends from my school (also practicing French while traveling). I also took risks like taking classes totally in French with local students and taking part in a wine-tasting club, which was so fun but also educational. I learned about French food and art and culture, and had so much fun doing so.
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. |
Enough courses were recommended for the level of difficulty (given all courses were in French), and Middlebury offered so many resources from both their own staff and UBM's to support those in our program. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The Middlebury Bordeaux staff was much smaller than the Paris staff -- we always had enough support from afar, but on-site, we had only a few advisors/mentors from the French universities, so at times it would have been helpful to have one specific Middlebury coordinator in Bordeaux. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My host house was beautiful and my host family was a great fit for me -- we had good food, everyone was very friendly and understanding toward me, and I had plenty of my own space. The one frustrating element was that we had to pay for our own transportation (not included or reimbursed by Middlebury) when others on other Middlebury programs did not. |
| * Food: |
Food was easily accessible on campus and good/healthy, and my meals with my host family were fun and had good variety. Sometimes I was hesitant to use the kitchen (which was really me being shy to ask), but every time I did use it, there was no problem and I had access to everything there. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
My own (perceived) language skills prevented me from totally engaging with others my age, but I did become friends with both the niece of my host mother (who also invited me to spend time with her friends) and a French student who was also living in my host house (I did not know he would be living there prior to the beginning of the semester, but it was very helpful having another student there who was not a member of the family). I also tried to explore the city as much as I could with my friends in the Middlebury program to integrate myself into life in Bordeaux. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I fortunately did not have to engage with the health system while abroad, but Middlebury clearly presented different options in case of any injury or illness. I used local pharmacies, and my host mother was very helpful in suggesting what to do when I developed a cold. There were no prevalent health issues or required vaccines. |
| * Safety: |
I felt super safe living in Bordeaux! My host family lived in a very safe, residential area and I always felt safe on campus. I recommend always being aware of your surroundings, especially while out at night, and going out in groups, but I never felt more unsafe than I would at home. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I love the friends that I made on the program (they were all so welcoming to me as a non-Middlebury student and all dedicated to learning French while supporting each other), I always felt supported by Middlebury staff, and I felt my host family was such a good match for me. I also developed my French skills while still having time to experience a new city and other countries while traveling. |
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) |
I had saved quite a bit of money prior to the semester, so some weeks I definitely spent more than the average student, but I found food (especially from the grocery store) and transportation both reasonable. Food from CROUS cafeterias on campus were all also very affordable, and I felt I could spend some extra money when I wanted to (as well as when traveling) because I was spending less than I would spend in the US on food, etc. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Definitely eat lunch at CROUS rather than cafes/boulangeries, compare transportation year vs monthly costs, and (something I wish I had done but did not), look at opening a card that gives a better exchange rate for different currencies. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
We all signed the Middlebury Language Pledge to only speak French to our host families, strangers, professors, Middlebury staff, and each other. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | a 200-level French literature class at Colby |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | I feel like my language skills improved SO much from this program -- engaging with my host family was very helpful as they are there to support their students, being engaged in class (even if I was not understanding every single word) broadened my vocabulary and improved my comprehension skills, and really trying to follow the language pledge with the others in my program, as we were able to practice French in a low-stakes environment. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| 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? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I really enjoyed all I learned while on the program, but I wish I had thought more about conversion rates for currency and how to manage those with the card I had, and I also wish I had thought about the fact that it can be more expensive to travel from Bordeaux as it is a smaller city with a smaller airport, though I do not regret studying there or traveling from there at all. |
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 Outright UrbaniteA social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country. |
