Paris: Good Food, Beautiful Scenery, and Lots of History Past Review
By A student (Sociology, Columbia College, Missouri) - abroad from 06/26/2015 to 07/16/2015 with
Missouri Study Abroad Intercollegiate Consortium / MOSAIC: Summer Study Abroad
I learned how to be more independent by learning how to navigate and live in a (very) large city on my own. Definitely worthwhile! I would recommend Paris to anyone.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
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 |
A little disorganized at times, but overall pretty successful at helping us. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Pretty strict. I had to check in every time I came back to the dorm and visitors were discouraged (not that I had any). Typical dorm rules (ex: no alcohol). |
| * Food: |
St. John's has better food than most universities I have attended, but selection was very limited and it wasn't always the greatest quality. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Interaction with French people really depended on what class you were taking. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I didn't have any health issues, but I feel like I would have been able to find the right help if needed. |
| * Safety: |
Paris was actually pretty safe. I had one incident with someone trying to pick pocket a friend, so look out for that. Also, the metro occasionally has some sketchy people on it. Overall I didn't mind using it though. Just be aware and travel in groups like you would in any other large city. |
| 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 is a little expensive. It helped that my program offered breakfast and dinner on campus, which was included in the program cost. Just be mindful of how much you are spending. Be prepared to spend some money to use the metro! |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Look around at souvenirs first, then go back and purchase the ones you really liked. Don't impulse buy! |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
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? | 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? | Save more money! |
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 Avid AdventurerThe wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal. |
