Challenging but illuminating and worthwhile Past Review
By A student (Williams College) - abroad from 08/30/2016 to 05/19/2017 with
Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Paris
Much travel experience, learning about myself (self-reflection), language skills
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. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I got tired of living in a homestay early on in second semester, and wasn't fully aware that I had the option to change between terms. |
| * Food: |
My host mother was a very good cook. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The fact that we only took 2 or 3 out of 5 courses at the French university, when the French students take all their classes there and are at the university every day, limited the potential for integration. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
My language skills improved greatly, which was my main goal, and the program did help with that (though some of it was also personal initiative) |
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 found spending money on food rather stressful; the program didn't explicitly outline the extent to which we would have to shop/cook for ourselves when we weren't eating with our host families. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $30-$50 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Limit going out for meals to once per week (particularly for dinner, the most expensive meal) |
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 |
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| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Advanced |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Fluent |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Literature courses conducted in French |
| 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? | Listen to the radio (you can often find stations online), and read books (I read Harry Potter! You might consider choosing a book you already know well in English) in the foreign language. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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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? | 0 |
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? | It's important to join activities (at least one) early, to meet people and get a routine going and get yourself out of the house. |
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 LinguistYou 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! |
