True Immersion September 13, 2023
By A student (English Language and Literature, Middlebury College) - abroad from 08/25/2022 to 12/19/2022 with
Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Paris
French fluency, independence, confidence living in a big city, cultural dexterity
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. |
This was a great program! The perfect balance between independence and support. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
This program was super well-organized. Amy and her team were always ready to answer any questions and offered great, practical advice. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My housing situation was a dream — I lived in a foyer of 20-year-old girls in the beautiful 8e arrondissement and made really close French friends. |
| * Food: |
Dinner provided at foyer on weekdays, otherwise on your own |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Thanks to my living arrangement, by the end of four months in Paris, I felt like I had a full life in Paris and could easily continue living there. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
We had a police officer visit the program early on and give us lots of practical tips |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
This program offers the perfect mix of support and independence — you'll truly become a part of Paris while also having all the resources Middlebury provides |
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 definitely an expensive city so if you're on a tight budget plan carefully |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | There are lots of free and discounted things for students! Museums are mostly free with your student ID, and you can get cheap meals at Crous or supermarkets |
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? | 300-level |
| 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? | Watch shows/movies with modern language and rapidity, and try to talk as much as possible |
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? | Soak in every day! |
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! |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Feel Good Literature |
| Course Department: | Comp Lit |
| Instructor: | |
| Instruction Language: | French |
| Comments: | This was an easy class exploring self-help books |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | 1/2 credit only |
| Course Name/Rating: |
La Comédie-Musicale |
| Course Department: | Comp Lit |
| Instructor: | |
| Instruction Language: | French |
| Comments: | This was a super fun class exploring the works of Stephen Sondheim. I love musical theatre so I was nerding out the whole time, but it was also interesting to see how little French students new about this genre. In some ways, this course taught me quite a lot about cultural differences between the two countries. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
| Course Name/Rating: |
La dramaturgie de Molière |
| Course Department: | Comp Lit |
| Instructor: | |
| Instruction Language: | French |
| Comments: | This was definitely the hardest class I took direct enrollment — the professor took things seriously, but honestly I mostly appreciated the rigor. We read four Molière plays and analyzed them in depth. This class was probably the best example I had of the traditional French educational model. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | 1/2 credit only |
| Course Name/Rating: |
Ecrire en langue étrangère |
| Course Department: | Comp Lit |
| Instructor: | |
| Instruction Language: | French |
| Comments: | This was a solid course taught by a young and engaged professor. It was very meta to be discussing authors who write in their second language while I myself was using my second language. Not too difficult, but one of the books really made me think. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | 1/2 credit only |
| Course Name/Rating: |
La France dans l’Europe |
| Course Department: | Poli Sci |
| Instructor: | |
| Instruction Language: | French |
| Comments: | This was a fantastic course. I learned so much about contemporary French and French political history. It was extremely relevant to my daily life in the city. The instructor took us on excursions including a play and a walking tour. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | No |
