Paris: a finer state of living. Past Review
By Guillermo M (Biochemistry And Cell Biology, Trinity University) - abroad from 06/29/0013 to 08/10/0013 with
New York University: Paris - NYU Summer in Paris
I learned so much about the culture and lifestyle and how different it is from my experiences. Words truly cannot explain my experiences and what I learned, but if I could I could relive everything I would in a heartbeat.
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. |
Challenging at first because I wasn't accustomed to an all french class, but became easier with time. The class was awesome, the teacher was taught a lot, and the other students were helpful. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Administration was very helpful at the beginning of the course and provided many resources to help you get used to the new environment. Over time they relaxed and let the students go about by themselves, as in the U.S. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The rooms were nice, good matching with roommates, and nice bathrooms. Laundry was free, but the kitchen was for everyone and not very clean. When I was abroad there was a heat wave and the rooms did not have air conditioning. Usually there isn't problems like that with the weather I just had bad luck, but it wasn't that bad. |
| * Food: |
The food is amazing! Breakfast was tiny and there's excessive amount of bread, but that's how the culture is. Regular meals were amazing and I never had a bad dish. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The first week was tough, with people switching to english when you were trying to speak french. After a week though things went much smoother and I made many french friends that were super cool. The lifestyle of the Parisians definitely rubbed off and I felt like I fit in, especially during the final weeks. I could blend in and people would assume I was french and strike up conversations. I also felt most integrated with the culture when groups of friends would plan events that locals would do. I definitely learned more french outside of the classroom, and the nightlife in Paris is a great way to really pick up the young adult culture and language. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I never had a health issue, but many of my peers did and were treated immediately and successfully. |
| * Safety: |
It was completely safe. I could walk down any street at any time and not feel threatened or uncomfortable. I was never pick pocketed, but I would recommend to constantly check your pockets in touristy areas. |
| 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) |
2. Paris is very expensive and food, shopping, and nightlife add up. I also did many touristy things that were not always free. I usually spent about 200 euros a week, which is way less than many of the other students there. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | about 200 euros. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Avoid taxis, buy a metro pass for by the month and if it's closed at nights you can hop on night buses that are included in the pass. If they're not you can still hop in and most drivers won't care. Eat at cafes with a lot of people and get the cheaper meals, they're still delicious. If you want to go out a lot, buy liquor before going to the clubs/bars where it is much more expensive. If you need groceries look at street markets then 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 |
It was full emersion. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Beginner |
| 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? | Four semesters of french at the beginning of high school. |
| 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 be afraid or nervous and just practice, people might get impatient but give it time. Going out into the city helps a lot and making local friends. Many people find it easier to gain confidence at social night locations such as clubs or bars after a couple of drinks. Of course in moderation, but that seemed to be a great way of practicing without being shy or nervous. |
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? | Do not be afraid and be open minded about every possible situation. And that you only regret the things you don't do, so go and live it out. |
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 Outright UrbaniteA social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country. |
