Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Hard but for the most part good. February 01, 2023

By (French, Middlebury College) - abroad from 08/27/2022 to 12/14/2022 with

Sciences Po Bordeaux: Free Mover Program

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned a lot about France and Europe in general. I also became basically fluent in French. For the most part it was worhwhile.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The direct enrollment courses for Middlebury Students were not very accessible and incredibly difficult. It was extremely frustrating that some middlebury students did not have to write the equivalent of a thesis while others did.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Valerie the tutor was incredibly helpful. I did not feel like the other person was able to actually help us in terms of managing workload and dealing with unequal expectations for each students. Most of the time her response was "that's just how it goes" which felt pretty discouraging.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

My host family was awesome. It took a little while for them to warm up to me but once they did they were great.

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

It felt like French students were very stand-offish at the beginning but at the end they were much more willing to interact with me.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I did not have an experience with healthcare.

* Safety:

Overall Bordeaux was pretty safe. I was followed home once but other than that I felt safe for the most part.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

Yes I loved Bordeaux but I would want to go to a different university (UBM).

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)

I traveled a lot which made me spend more money.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? Between $150-$200
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Plan ahead if you want to travel.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

The program encouraged us to dive right into speaking only French which was both good and bad. I wish there had been 2 or 3 days to get to know the other Midd students before being thrown into a new world with no real support system while also trying to make friends in another language.

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? French 220
How many hours per day did you use the language?
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? Listen to movies/audio books in French.

Direct Enrollment/Exchange

* Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? Direct Enrollment

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • International Students
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?
  • Being able to travel
  • My host family
  • The city
* What could be improved?
  • the organization of the midd program before and during abroad
  • equalizing what the midd students do even if they are in different classes
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? That it would feel isolating and really hard at the beginning.

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 Nearly Native or Trail Blazer
Craving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.'

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Social Studies Seminar

Course Department:
Instructor:
Instruction Language: French
Comments: It was too hard, unequal between other Midd students, and the class was canceled for over half the semester with no make up sessions scheduled until one week before the semester was over.
Credit Transfer Issues: No, I would suggest not taking the class.