Multicultural Past Review
By A student (University of Michigan - Ann Arbor) - abroad from 01/02/2019 to 05/19/2019 with
Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Paris
I learned how to quickly adapt to a new environment and culture, how to put myself out there to meet new friends.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Overall, I was faced with the least amount of work and rigor of my entire college career. However, I typically study biochemistry and this can explain part of the discrepancy in rigor. That being said, I did not go study abroad for the rigor but more so to immerse myself in the french language and culture. |
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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 loved Foyer International des Etudiantes! It was well located, had in house laundry, the students were nice, plenty of ammenities. FIE played a huge role in making my overall experience unforgetable. |
| * Food: |
Cooking where I lived was at times difficult and paris can tend to be expensive, but overall, it was ok. |
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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? |
In Paris, there is a website called DoctoLib that can easily connect you with doctors near you for last minute and previously planned appointments. This was extremely helpful and I was easily reimbursed by GeoBlue. |
| * Safety: |
Paris felt overall safe. However, the key to feeling safe is to know your surroundings and learning directions so that you don't have to constantly pull up google maps and risk having your phone being snatched. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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 and living in a foyer can be very expensive |
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? | 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? | French 350 (highest level offered at home institution) |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? |
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? | Paris is very expensive when you and your friends dont live in your own apartments. |
