Past Review

By Cassidy J (Instrumental Performance, Samford University) for

Samford University: Paris—A Cappella Choir

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

The A Cappella European tour was absolutely wonderful. I deepened some friendships, made some new friends, saw some places I had never seen and had the amazing opportunity of singing in gorgeous cathedrals and churches. I'll always cherish the memories I have of singing in those places and even spontaneously singing on the Spanish Steps with my fellow choir members.

Personal Information

The term and year this program took place:	Summer 2009

Review Your Program

* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	We traveled around a lot, so we didn't stay in the same hotel for long. <br /><br /> I felt like we were provided great housing while we were abroad. The rooms were nice and cozy and clean.
* Food:	Gotta love European food!! My favorite place was a cafe right beside Notre Dame. They had the most delicious quiche I have ever tasted, but I had to gobble it down quickly to make it to a performance.
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	I loved visiting the museums and attractions of each city. I wish we could have had more time to explore the cities, but we were on a tour so we had to manage our time well. One of my favorite sites was in Chartres. I loved the light-show on the cathedral!
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?
* Safety:	We all were so excited to be in Europe and wanted to see everything. It was very tempting to stay up late, but we ran the risk of getting sick if we hadn't taken care of ourselves.
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	No

Finances

* 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)
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	While abroad, try the different foods. Don't go to American restaurants like MacDonalds because they have cheap food. It's worth it to dish out a few more dollars for the amazing cuisine. Also, take enough so that you can purchase souvenirs or visit museums if the school hasn't included that in the price of the trip.

Language

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program?	None
Language acquisition improvement?	I was able to get a general idea of how to get around town, what I was ordering on the menu. I would have loved to have been able to actually speak with the people for whom we sang.