France: Changing the pace of our lives Past Review
By Amelia M (French Language and Literature., Wellesley College) for
Wellesley College: Aix-en-Provence - Wellesley-in-Aix
Studying abroad was so much more different than just living abroad. I met some incredible people both from the States and from Europe, and hope to keep in touch with them in the future.
Personal Information
How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
It was mostly lecturing and very little discussion. |
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Mme. Masson did an incredible job organizing every aspect of this program. |
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I liked living with another Wellesley student, and everything we asked for was provided. |
* Food: |
|
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
All of the field trips organized by WC were ace. I especially liked the trip to Corsica; that was so different from the other parts of France we'd been to. |
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
|
* Safety: |
Very safe. I never needed medical attention, but there were many clinics and hospitals if I did. |
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
|
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) |
|
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | About 100 euros |
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Go to the supermarket outside of town and not Monoprix. It's so much cheaper. |
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? | Junior year? |
If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
|
Language acquisition improvement? |
Very few people on the program spoke English, and nobody in the school system. |
Other Program Information
* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
|
* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
|
* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
|
A Look Back
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Go! It takes a lot of stamina to speak French all day, but it will benefit you so much in the long run. |