Program Reviews

The typical student of French goes to France. While Paris, Bordeaux, or Nantes may seem idyllic experiences, those will pale in comparison to what you will learn in Yaoundé.

Yaoundé challenged me to develop a new sense of confidence in unfamiliar settings. Learning how to take a shared taxi to get around the city is perhaps the most symbolic example. During Orientation, I fell asleep during our trial runs with a staff member. Needless to say, I was worried about how I would get to the university. At first, it was scary standing on the street and announcing my desired destination and fare. I didn't know where I was going to go, how I would get there, and whom I would meet. But just doing it - just going out there and trying to get a taxi taught me what I was capable of. Studying abroad in Yaoundé is a lot like taking the taxi: it's hot, it takes a lot of patience to get anywhere, the ride is bumpy, but you eventually get exactly where you need to be.

Without a doubt, you will speak, learn, feel, and see so much more in Cameroon than in France.

There are a lot of study abroad programs in Paris, but if you're going with the intention of linguistic and cultural integration, this is for you. I met a lot of other students studying abroad and Middlebury's was, based on my observations, by far the best. I advanced a great deal in terms of language, and they planned a lot of fun activities to learn more about Paris and France. They do a great job facilitating with the French universities and I always felt comfortable approaching the administrators whenever I had a problem. A really invaluable experience and I would highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a truly enriching study abroad experience!

Buenos Aires is a fantastic place to spend a semester. While the Middlebury program has qualified staff to support you, the real value of the experience comes from embracing the independence of living in such a diverse city. Studying at the public university is highly recommended because it gives you a better chance to immerse yourself with local students and ways of thinking.

Overall, my semester in Mainz was a great experience. The academic work was challenging, having to write 4 Hausarbeiten over the course of the semester. It is manageable though with the help of the tutors and resources that Middlebury provides. The one downside to my experience was that it wasn't easy meeting other German students outside of the close vicinity of where you live. German dorms aren't like ones in America, in that German students don't typically take it upon themselves to meet and converse with their neighbors, which is very common in the dorm life of American universities. That's at least what I found to be the case for my dorm, but I did meet a number of German students who were more open in this way. However, spending the time with the students I did get to know was really memorable. Mainz has so much to offer in terms of bars, nightlife, Fastnacht, activities and simply beautiful scenery. The key is balancing time for these activities in addition to the pretty tight academic schedule that you have to follow in order to complete your work for the semester.

I had an amazing time studying abroad through Middlebury- so much that I chose to stay in Florence an additional month after the program had ended to pursue an internship (which I couldn't have found without the Middlebury program's help!). If you do go to Florence, I would recommend staying with a host family. I really clicked with mine, and I think my Italian improved a lot as a result. It was so nice to come home each evening and have conversations with them over dinner.

India is such a country of extremes, diversity and in general just so much see. I was lucky enough to travel around a lot as well. It can be a bit of a challenge compared to other places, but its well worth and no matter how long you stay you will just only be scratching the surface in understanding it.

I loved my time in Paris with the Middlebury Program. The staff is very supportive and knowledgable and the courses are thorough. Amy Tondu is the absolute best. You have the opportunity to enroll directly in a Parisian university and simultaneously take 1-2 courses with other Middlebury abroad students at the Middlebury center. In my opinion, this is the best of both worlds: support yet immersion into this fabulous city. Although the language pledge is difficult to uphold, it really does make a difference in your language acquisition. Learning a language is partly physical. Your muscles need to be trained to move in ways that you are not used to and so by staying in the pledge you build up these muscles and fluency becomes much easier to attain! I stayed with a host family who I became very close with. When I was sick my host mom even made me special balms and syrups to help me get better. Paris is an incredible and vibrant city, but if you are not ready to live in a bustling metropolitan where you will likely need to commute daily via metro, then it might not be the program for you.

If you want to study in Buenos Aires and are serious about learning Spanish, the Middlebury Program is your best bet. A smaller program with academic priorities make it a good environment for learning. Make sure you consider carefully which school you want to go to and where you want to live. An advantage of this program is that you only take classes at one school instead of a mix so you become more connected to the people and place. Also, this is a HUGE city, so there are lots of opportunities but also lots of travel time on busses and limited options for fresh air depending on where you live. Studying abroad here is a challenge but an amazing learning experience.

I was in Buenos Aires from 2006-07. I studied at the Universidad del Salvador. I think what Middlebury offers compared to other study aboard programs is a more authentic, language and culture focused experience. This is very rare in study aboard programs. My host family was middle rather than upper class. The house was nice and in a good, fairly central neighborhood but modest. It was really the best of both worlds. The best part of my experience was the opportunity to do an internship while I was in Buenos Aires. This was a great way for me to experience another side of the city.

First, above and beyond, you will reap what you sow in any study abroad experience. If you work hard, make an effort to find local friends and make some of your own opportunities, this program is incredible. If you choose to stay with American friends, don't take the language study seriously, etc., you will have an interesting experience abroad.

I stayed for one year and the program was extremely challenging for me (I was probably not prepared sufficiently, in all honesty). The first semester was nothing but homework. Then all the other students except two left. The three of us looked at each other: we still had nine months there.

The second semester is where everything came together. I stopped hating China and fell in love with aspects of it. I made wonderful local friends. I felt at home. I still remember the moment, riding my bike back towards school from Wulin square.

In the end I spent about 6.5 years working in China. I was one of the first Chinese/English interpreters hired by Goldman Sachs (the other is also a Hangzhou grad) and I've translated for the State Department as well. My whole life pivoted in this city and, nearly ten years later, I still go back when possible and remember some things. Work hard, don't worry about the other American students too much and you will benefit greatly from the team in Hangzhou.