Middlebury Paris: Great for Language, Awful for Nearly Everything Else February 21, 2023
By A student (French, Middlebury College) - abroad from 08/29/2022 to 12/16/2022 with
Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Paris
What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned how to speak French at a near fluent level. I would say it was worthwhile, but I would much rather have studied with a less intensive program that allowed me to speak English a bit more often. I was incredibly stressed and confused during my time in the city and Middlebury did very little to remedy this.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
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? |
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| * Food: |
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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: |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
Absolutely not, I was wholly unsupported by the administration and the Middlebury student body. It is not meant for first-generation or low income students, and I would encourage any student who shares my identity to search for another program. |
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) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $50 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Don't study in Paris |
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? | Advanced French |
| 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? | Don't study with Middlebury if you want a stress-free experience, but you will most definitely learn the language whether you want to or not. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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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? | I wish I knew that this program would leave me feeling very alone and unconfident in myself. I lost a lot of my personality while I was abroad and it has taken me quite some time to feel like myself again back home. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Intermediate French |
| Course Department: | French |
| Instructor: | Patrick Guedon |
| Instruction Language: | French |
| Comments: | |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
| Course Name/Rating: |
French Literature and Cinema |
| Course Department: | French |
| Instructor: | Prof Degeneve |
| Instruction Language: | French |
| Comments: | |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
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