Canada: It's Not America Jr. Past Review
By Alecia D (French Language and Literature., Stephen F. Austin State University) for
Stephen F. Austin State University (SFA): Traveling - Explore Canada
I think I am more confident in speaking French and hopefully I've gotten better at speaking louder which I think is key for me to continue conversations in French.
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. |
I felt that the workload was pretty decent and what was expected from the week we were abroad. It also touched a lot of bases between the two classes. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Both Dr. Johnston and Dr. Galatas were very accessible as they both had cell phones and made it a point for us to know room numbers to call between rooms. Dr. Johnston was able to provide a lot of knowledge about the Quebec culture and Dr. Galatas about Canadian politics. They also were able to lead us through everything with relative ease. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
We lived with our fellow students. The first hotel in Montreal was slightly sketchy as we right next door to sex shops. But other than that it was fine. In Ottawa it was really nice and kind of like apartments with cookware and utensils. Everything was withing walking distance or easily accessible through public transportation |
| * Food: |
I know attempts were made to accommodate for the vegetarians and the other dietary restrictions when were eating together officially. But when we would eat in groups on our free time there wasn't as much accommodation for the vegetarians and even less so for those with food allergies, medical issues or those observing Lent/other religious reasons. Next time it would probably be best if everyone knew everyone else's restrictions so that it would be easier to find food to eat. Other than that, the food was really good and I was able to try new foods I might have never tried. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
It was a lot of fun hanging out with the university students in Montreal and Ottawa! I also really enjoyed the Biodome since it was so interactive and informational at the same time. The same applies to the Canadian Museum of Civilization. It was also really exciting to be able to sit in on a debate from the House of Commons, something we would not have access to with our House of Representatives. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Everything was pretty safe and I felt comfortable riding the public transportation. Like any big cities, they did have some potholes, etc and construction but they were easy to get around. |
| 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? | Between $60 and $80. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Try to use cash as much as possible, especially since the smaller shops maybe cash only. I didn't really have unanticipated expenses but for some it was appropriate shoes and winter clothing. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | 400 level |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
Trying to do everyday things in the host country language is a good practice. We had to use it almost everyday when in Montreal but not at all in Ottawa. Most people did speak English, but in Montreal they seemed to prefer French. |
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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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? | Pack appropriate shoes and make sure you have at least one pair of closed toe shoes. If you have activities where you have to dress nice make sure you have nice shoes and not just tennis shoes. Bring appropriate clothing for the weather of where you are going. I think anyone would be able to benefit from this program |
