Past Review
By Kerven M (Criminal Justice and Corrections., Pennsylvania State University - Altoona) for
Penn State Altoona: Paris - Language and African American Music
Yes, it was very worthwhile as it was a great experience. I improved my language skills greatly and more importantly discovered the deep influence America has worldwide. It was great to see what life in another nation was like and make comparisons to that in the U.S.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
| The term and year this program took place: | Spring 2010 |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
learning French culture and traditions first- hand. By being abroad I was able to see what the French are really like and able to interact with the French people. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
We got a chance to visit all the sites in Paris which was great. I felt it could have been a little more organized, but it was a great success. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I didn't like our hostel at all. It had a lot of inconveniences such as not having access to rooms from 11-4pm. It lacked common accommodations such as wireless internet and a TV. The environment itself was a safe area, but many of the stores had early closing times, and late opening times which was very inconvenient. |
| * Food: |
The French have a lot of other cultures that are represented. Turkish restaurants were very popular throughout France, and I fell in love with their sandwiches. It was a popular place for us to eat. Most French food was served with bread, and wine (different from U.S.) and was small portions compared to that in the U.S. Wine is more common at the dinner table than water. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
We went to a French hip-hop club which was a nice experience. Visiting the sites were very enjoyable as it made the trip more of a vacation than a class. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I felt no safety concern and had no problem with my health. The only problem and warning I would give is to be aware of pickpocketing which is a major problem in Paris. |
| 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) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | about 250 dollars |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Bring a Visa/Mastercard card to use instead of bringing American cash and having it exchanged overseas. A card is much more efficient and gives you a better exchange rate. Plus carrying cash on a card is safer than carrying a lot of cash on you. Spend wisely and have a spending limit set for the trip. |
Language
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | FR 003 |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
Being around people who speak French all the time greatly improved my langauge skills. I felt I made a huge progress in a quick time, as practice is the best way of improving. I feel that if I was there for a month I would have been able to master the language. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Be open minded, follow pre-departure warnings, do research on where your going, find out as much as you can about the life and where your going. This will make it easier when you get there and will make you more knowledgeable. Also bring a small dictionary so you can pick up some unknown words and improve language skills of your host nation. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
French Foreign Studies |
| Course Department: | FR 199 |
| Instructor: | Claire McCourt |
| Instruction Language: | English and French |
| Comments: | Great experience to study French culture in France. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | No |
| Course Name/Rating: |
Navigate New Frontier |
| Course Department: | INTST 497A |
| Instructor: | Mandy Reinig |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | Too much unnecessary assignments, but did prepare for some differences in host country. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | No |
