Difficult for the first two and a half months but gratifying for the last two Past Review
By A student (Bowdoin College) - abroad from 01/03/2018 to 05/21/2018 with
Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Paris
It was worthwhile, I learned about cultural adaptation and grit. As a government major, observing the political life and influence of the state was very interesting to me as well.
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. |
Middlebury is a great program for academic rigor. It is about as serious as it gets in terms of practicing French and the same goes for the dedication of the students. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
A very well organized program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
My host mother was a terrific cook, I had four meals a week with my host family and was glad I made that choice |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
You need to be careful and alert in Paris. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
Yes, the stress was worth what I gained and the time I spent in an incredible city. |
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) |
Paris is an expensive city |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $60-80$ on average per week |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Make sandwiches for lunch. |
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? | 3000 level french seminar |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | 10+ |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Listen to podcasts. Exposure and persistence is the key, it just takes time for your brain to transition to the 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? |
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? | Be prepared to change your expectations. Stay confident in your ability and be resilient. |
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! |
