I wish I could be a Rhinoceros July 28, 2025
By A student (Art History/French, Brandeis University) - abroad from 08/29/2024 to 05/31/2025 with
Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Paris
The world is worse off than I thought. It was eye-opening.
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. |
Academically, the Middlebury courses were not rigorous in the slightest. My fall semester courses were simply an exercise in attendance. Spring semester, I took the French Language Advanced course, with a 19 on my midterm, a 20 on my expose, and an unknown in the final. I believe the courses may not be graded fairly, inflating the grades of students. I did however enjoy all of my professors especially Lara Ianetta, the spring semester professor. I hope she is doing well. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Despite certain personal difficulties in the end, the administration remained professional while handling said personal challenges I had within the program. I would like to thank Karima, Julie, and Amy especially for their work, it was exceptional. However, I do feel there were problems in the program that they did not address harshly enough. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I feel they were adequate, despite challenges. When change arose I was given many options and made to feel empowered. |
| * Food: |
I ate out well enough and was able to cook much of what I wanted. Host's food selection was difficult, my sobriety was questioned by Host family as well. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I have and maintain contact with my french friends and love all of them. I was very easily thrown into academic french culture and that was fantastic. La vie quotidienne parisienne was my life, metro boulot dodo !!! |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Amazing. I had an infection in my tooth and was able to get a doctors appointment through DoctoLib with the help of Karima, and reimbursed as well. |
| * Safety: |
Never a moment I felt unsafe in Paris. The diversity of Paris made me feel so much safer than people make it seem. Even during protests for Palestine and against femicide, I was surrounded by friends and safety was highlighted. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
Middlebury offers an amazing opportunity, but Paris was wrought with racism, xenophobia, and sexism that I felt was pervasive. I felt the students weren't of my same mentality in terms of their reasons to be in Paris. I felt there was very little the program offered me. I had a positive experience, but I would want a new experience. |
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) |
I grew up very poor, even the budget expressed here is beyond my means. It was difficult, but not impossible. Make good choices, eat at the CROUS, especially the one in the Cite Universitaire in the 14e. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 30 euro |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Eat at the CROUS and avoid American chains where the food is much more 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 |
The program I was in was supposed to be a language intensive program. However, the program includes the students as well. Administration tried their hardest, but the students refused to speak French in our interactions, simply switching to English the minute they stepped outside the center. |
| 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 Language through culture. |
| 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? | Avoid the other Middlebury students. |
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? | French people hate international students and professors will not help you unless you ask. |
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! |
