On Sunday I moved to my third (and, hopefully, final) home, still in the Marais. I live with an extremely nice French girl who works for Chloe (yes, Chloe!!!). She loves fashion, Sex & the City, and introduced me to Nutella sushi at a place next door (we are going to be fast friends ;). The neighborhood is near the Place des Vosges and trendy shops and boutiques, but still has a neighborhood-y, park-like atmosphere to it, with lots of trees, and a fresh fruit-and-vegetable market on weekends!
On Monday, I met up with a girl who is in a dual-degree program with American University and Universite Paris-X. She studied for two years at American, and two years at Paris-X, and this May will receive her degree in both French AND American law. Despite the fact that there are no other exchange students in my study abroad program this semester, I still take classes with these dual-degree students, and she was able to give me some much-needed solace and encouragement (Yes, it is possible! No, you probably (eek! see below) won't fail your exams!) about the French university system and the program in general. It turns out that of ALL the places she could live in Paris, she lives just around the corner from me! We met up at my new favorite cafe, called Cafe Creme, where she often studies for classes and which (thankfully) has a wifi internet connection.
Some facts about French law school as compared to American law school:
- Most of my classes are populated with 22-23-year-olds, as law is an undergraduate AND a master's degree here;
-At the beginning of the semester, I have the opportunity to decide whether I want to take my exams orally or written ("travaux diriges"). The written option is a three-hour-long exam, and requires written, mandatory assignments throughout the semester. The oral option is only 15 minutes long, and entails having a discussion with the professor about the topic. Every administrator I talked to suggested I take the oral option, so the professor can have the requisite amount of pity for me as an international student with a language barrier;
-Professors here are not as generous doling out A-and B-equivalents as in the US, and at least 30-40% of French students FAIL their exams! When that happens, students are required to return in September for their "rattrapage" (roughly: re-take) and the new grade completely cancels the old!
-The magic of "la moyenne:" French grading is on a scale of 1-20; 10 = passing. If a student gets two 8s and two 12s for four classes, he or she has NOT failed two classes! Because the "average" of all FOUR classes is a 10, the student gets credit for ALL four classes, despite the fact that he/she technically failed two exams. This encourages some students to solely focus on one, stronger class, in an effort to "bootstrap" the other 2 or 3 classes into passing grades.
-There are NO required readings NOR required textbooks! Students study mostly from notes (which it is why it is so important for me, as an international student, to befriend diligent students and ask them for note supplements where I haven't comprehended something), and most "suggested" reading can be obtained from the library!
-When I asked when professor office hours are, she just laughed. Professors don't do that here! There's usually a long line of students trailing the professor at the end of lecture in an attempt to cram in every question. Professors do NOT make themselves available to students outside of class in France.
(Above, counter-clockwise from top left): My street; my new neighborhood; Cafe Creme (my new go-to cafe); and Stephanie, my savior and mentor - at our rendez-vous, she also introduced me to the BEST chocolat fondant, featured in the photo, and crepe stand in our neighborhood !!)
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