Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

a long dinner with new friends, new experiences, and lots of baguettes! March 30, 2023

By (French Language, Literature, Middlebury College) - abroad from 08/30/2022 to 12/17/2022 with

Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Paris

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I think my French skills did improve significantly- specifically my comprehension! I also felt very immersed and learned a lot about the culture and history.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? None

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

Finances

* 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)

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

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
How many hours per day did you use the language?

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • International Students

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • My Host Family
  • Cultural immersion activities and trips
  • Making friends within the program
* What could be improved?
  • Academic support for university classes
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Just to take advantage of any free time to explore the city + attend as many cultural immersion events/trips/activities you can because the time goes by fast!

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 Nearly Native or Trail Blazer
Craving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.'

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Intermediate Advanced French
Course Department: French
Instructor:
Instruction Language: French
Comments: I found the class challenging but felt I learned a lot and found I participated more often than at my home institution. There was a mix of papers, exams and homework exercises.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Françafrique : enjeux, histoire et politique
Course Department:
Instructor:
Instruction Language: French
Comments: The professor was very knowledgable about the course, though I personally found the class a bit too challenging for me (though this was more so because I struggled with my French comprehension skills, and not so much due to the teaching or course content).
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Du cinéma ethnographique au film anthropologique
Course Department: CAV
Instructor:
Instruction Language: French
Comments:
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Histoire du cinéma 3: les année 1960-1970
Course Department: CAV
Instructor:
Instruction Language: French
Comments:
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Le magazine féminin
Course Department: CAV
Instructor:
Instruction Language: French
Comments:
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Analyse du jeu d'acteur
Course Department: CAV
Instructor:
Instruction Language: French
Comments:
Credit Transfer Issues: