Wellesley-in-Aix Past Review
By Katie S (French, Psychology, Wellesley College) for
Wellesley College: Aix-en-Provence - Wellesley-in-Aix
I am happy that I studied abroad because I learned a lot about the culture and myself. I feel like I now understand what it feels like to be out of your element and trying to figure everything out. I also feel like I have a better grasp on what multicultural really means. I would recommend study abroad for anyone who wants to challenge themselves and wants to also have a lot of fun.
Personal Information
| If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: | Universite Aix-Marseille, Institut des etudes politiques |
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The workload is very manageable, and the grading system is a lot different than it is in the states. There wasn't much discussion in class and the classes were really long compared to my home college. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
There was a big difference between our first and second semester. First semester the program seemed a lot more disorganized and it was hard to get things accomplished, like fixing the internet in our apartment. Second semester was better and there were a lot more group activities planned and it seemed more organized. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I loved having my own apartment, but it would have helped me a lot more if I had lived with a host family. I asked about it, but there weren't that many opportunities our first semester. The location was also good. |
| * Food: |
The program provided a monthly stipend which was plenty for groceries, daily living expences, etc. There were incredible restaurants and it really was a cultural experience that I truly enjoyed. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The overall social and cultural experience was pretty good. We went on a few group trips to attractions in the region, like Cassis and Nice. We also had plenty of opportunities to go to museums and participate in activities as a group. The group dinners were also really nice. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
The overall safety and health were excellent. If you used common sense, you were fine. Health care wasn't really an issue for me, but it seemed accessible. |
| 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? | We were given 500 euro a month for living expenses and it was plenty. I went to grocery store every week and spent about 50 euro, so the stipend was plenty and allowed us to go out to eat. We also had a cultural stipend for museums, etc. and it was more than enough. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | My advice would be to save money where you can in case any unexpected expenses come up. I would also recommend allocating some of your budget for travel because you'll probably want to go and it's not always cheap. |
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? | French Literature Through the Centuries - a 200-level course |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
The program encouraged us to use our French, but it would have been better if I had stayed with a host family. Living with Americans was great because we could experience life abroad together, but it also meant we spoke in English a lot when at home. |
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 do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I would suggest making a list of everything you want to do ahead of time and speaking with the director right away about what you do want from the program. |
