studentsineurope

Rosaleen and friends

Going to Paris for my first semester of college was one of the best, most exciting decisions I’ve ever made. Yet it was not an easy choice and I had to work hard to realize my dream. Then after my first incredible experience I knew I had to go back, and so my story is twofold: both how I experienced the city through a study abroad program and how I traveled back the next summer on my own.

In March of my senior year of high school I accepted the University of Southern California’s offer of a place in the freshman class in the spring of 2008. In lieu of the normal choice to enter community college for a semester I decided to see the world through study abroad. After long nights searching the web for any program I could find, I discovered Abroadco.

Probably as a function of the company’s relative youth, it was both the cheapest program available, at just under $12,000, and also the one with the most flexibility. Applications for the fall were being accepted as late as June 1st and the only limitations were a high school diploma with a minimum 2.5 GPA and an age limitation of eighteen or older. Most significantly for me, they were one of the only groups that did not restrict the program to students enrolled in an American university.

If I had planned to study abroad my junior or senior year, as most college students do, my options would have been very different. Many universities only give credit to specific programs linked to the school after completing classes in the language of the host country. Luckily, the Sorbonne is an internationally renowned university and the first university to exist in France; USC readily granted me full credit for my coursework, which was the equivalent of third-year level.

I decided to enroll in the three-month fall semester program, including language and phonetics classes in French as well as weekly lectures on French culture. The main points of the program included tuition, orientation, one cooking class at the Cordon Bleu and three excursions into the French countryside. We were also given our choice of living accommodation in an apartment, a residence hall or a homestay.

Airfare, meals and a French visa were the responsibility of the student, though none of these proved problematic. I found a relatively cheap flight package on the student travel website STATravel.com, whose prices were the lowest I encountered. As I chose to live in an apartment I was able to cook meals for myself, though I often sampled local delicacies as well.

A French visa was unnecessary as I am a citizen of the European Union. However, for many students this proves to be one of the most difficult parts of a study abroad process. It requires several fees, the submission of multiple forms and even personal trips to the local French embassy or consulate, which may be located quite far away.

Perhaps the most valuable aspect of traveling through a study abroad company is the built-in social network that it facilitates. My group of twenty diverse students from around the country jumped up to fifty in the spring after I left. I contacted my roommate before meeting her in Paris and, in addition to the Abroadco excursions, we organized weekend trips to Munich and Amsterdam. This is not to say that students shouldn’t befriend the locals as well; one of my most memorable experiences was a road trip up to Brussels and Bruges with French friends.

Despite all the benefits of Abroadco the program did have some flaws. I was given incorrect information about the lecture series and so only attended two of the three weekly classes. When exam time came my coordinator realized the truth and so I sat the three exams, however high marks in French History and Art History could not counteract a zero in French Literature. As a result, I was given no credits for that section.

To their credit Abroadco refunded me that part of my tuition and I don’t regret taking the two lectures. The only other problem was that the excursions were only ever scheduled a few weeks in advance. The majority of the participants missed at least one excursion and the Normandie trip, only two days before finals, was impossible for most.

Despite these minor annoyances I had an amazing time, and made plans to return the following summer to finish my final level of coursework at the Sorbonne. Since I already knew the city and the school I was easily able to schedule my flights, again with STA Travel, and registered for my courses at the Sorbonne online as well. Taking these steps alone was significantly cheaper, though I was now without the benefits of an onsite supervisor and built-in excursions. If you’ve never been abroad, a program is the way to go, but for the independent traveler on a budget personal preparations are definitely the better choice.

My greatest difficulty was securing accommodation during the busy summer months. Nevertheless, my French friends helped me search several websites, particularly www.lodgis.com and www.rentapart.com, so that I had a few apartments to visit before my arrival. After only a few days in the city I was living comfortably and taking classes once again.

Making the decision to study abroad can be intimidating. But with a little bit of planning and the desire for adventure a study abroad trip can be the experience of a lifetime.

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Read More About Rosaleen’s Parisian Experiences
in the Study Abroad section of StudentStuff.com.