Living with Andrée Past Review
By Nicole T (International Relations and Affairs., University of Maine - Orono) - abroad from 09/01/2015 to 12/31/2015 with
University of Maine: Canada - Killam Fellowships Program
What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Although going abroad is nerve-wrecking alone, after about a week when you start becoming comfortable with some people and making friends, it really sinks in why it is all worth it. You gain a lot of personal growth and independence, and learning about a new country and other ways of doing things, you become accustomed to different standards, and you become a more well rounded person-- I felt so wasteful coming home to Maine, because in Gatineau we recycled and composted everything, my house probably has four times the garbage in one week than when I lived there, and that is with the same amount of people living under one roof.
Review Photos
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. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I did a home stay with an elder woman with three other university students in Gatineau. |
| * Food: |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
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| 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 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
I spent too much money, but a lot of it wasn't necessary, although things are a decent amount more expensive in Canada |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | atleast 200$ most weeks |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | BUDGET. Buy meals at the grocery store. Drink before you go out. Don't drive your car. Register for school activities such as dancing classes, volunteering, etc. |
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 |
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| 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? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Intermediate |
| 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? | Go somewhere you can be immersed. I did live in Gatineau with three Quebecois girls, and a Korean who couldn't speak French, the older woman couldn't speak English, but the common language among the girls was English, so we used it most often. They encouraged me to speak French, and we would go out in Hull sometimes, but because Ottawa is such a bilingual city, French people that heard me struggling with French automatically switched to English. Right now Im at University Laval, and I don't have that problem, I speak minimal English, mostly to people at home, and everything around me is French, it is was is expected in QC. Definitely more of an immersion aspect here. |
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? | What to take advantage of and what I could put on the back burner because of all of the opportunities you are presented with |
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. |
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