-1st March, 00:16
It is so said. In nine hours, my last day in the CHU Bordeaux begins. I will try not to create a monster post. But I might fail. You've been warned.
1.My language "progress". I have just finished the final language assessment online. I have already described the test, it is probably the best online level test available. My results haven't changed much. Reading comprehension+ Listening comprehension+Vocabulary are still C2, no change. Grammar is still B2. It is sad, but true, and it is no surprise. I'll need to slowly continue working with grammar books and exercises, to maintain and improve it. I know I apply the grammar better in speaking (and even writing) than I click it into tests. But B2 result is still too low to be a coincidence and I know my weak spots
The only change: "Key communication phrases" are now C2 instead of C1. Either I have improved or it is just the test format and I had better luck on questions, no clue. I still don't get what is their definition of "key" but ok. I got a nice level label, that's something
You know my struggles, I might even be writing about those too much. I still miss some important vocabulary here and there, I make occassional grammar mistakes, I sound to myself like a moron sometimes. Curiously, the vocab in the test seemed easy. In a few cases, I thought "Heh, and people think sci-fi reading is useless".
But I miss some of the things I shouldn't in real life. When I have time (so in 50 years from now), there are many things I would love to "restudy". Not just vocabulary, but as well history, physics, and tons of other stuff. Till then, I'll need to accept the holes in stuff I used to know.
2.Nope, I don't have dozens of photos with a happy mixed international group partying. I have made very few friends, but I value them. It is not easy to make friends with the extremely busy local medecine students (I mean profound friendships, not fb friendships). I have made a lot of acquitances and I value those a lot, I have met many people I admire. I have been very lucky, my classmates have been great, I had been a bit nervous about this. I have been very lucky, my teachers were mostly great. Those not great were "just" good, and that is something awesome. People-wise, my cardio group and nephro group were the best, with neuro group being just one cm behind.
3.Medicine-wise, neuro and nephro were the best. I knew neuro would be great. But spending a whole month with people with strokes was awesome above my expectations! (Don't judge me too harshly, I study medicine. I am not supposed to be normal.) The doctors were awesome, classmates too, I learnt a lot. Nephrologie surprised me. An excellent month. In general, this is the first time I feel like studying, the first time I would love to become a doctor. It suddenly looks like I might love such a job (under normal work conditions, not in the Czech Republic). After years of the love-hate (90% hate) relationship with medicine, it is weird and great. I am afraid everything will change much closer to the norm in a week, when I get back to my archaic and inhuman faculty. And don't forget I'm "looking forward" to 5 (?) partial exams, and 5 big exams, most of which will take place within two months.
4.Yes, I would definitely love to do the internship here. I am leaving France with tons of The Huge Exam preparatory books and will work on this goal. My chances are not high, I know. If I end in the last third in this horror race (highly probable), there will be only places for generalists left and I definitely don't want to do that, I am not the type, I wouldn't be good at it, and I wouldn't be happy doing it. And it will depend a lot on my boyfriend too. He doesn't speak French...yet. Today, a classmate complimented me, that I was "as good as them", well it pleased me (a lot) but I still know my limits very well.
5.My health has been complicating my stay a bit. It is complicating my normal studies too. My immunity, my insomnia, migraines... really awesome, thanks a lot, my dear body, you've really been a support. Fortunately, I was very lucky for understanding doctors-teachers (perhaps my Erasmus statu helped too, ok) and for helpful doctors-doctors. Finally everything is ok on this front, but I am leaving
6.All the housing related stuff was quite nerve wrecking. Visits by people interested in buying the house (many of the reality agents cannot behave), the proprietaire with a few peculiar personality traits (but there are much worse, I know), all the broken things (like a completely blocked door, a non-functioning window, and so on)... but I am happy I had a civilized place to stay. Looking for a place to live at was a very stressful experience.
7.Time to pack everything and clean up the room.
It is sad to leave. Fortunately, there is my boyfriend waiting in Prague. He is really exceptional. If going through this and supporting me isn't a real proof of love, I don't know what is. My friends are there. It was great to read a message "we are looking forward to your return". It pleased me a lot. My family. My family's dog! I skyped with my dad almost every day, but skyping with a dog is of limited value.
My recommendation for people considering Erasmus: Go to Erasmus with as high a language level as possible. Yes, you improve the most noticeably as an intermediate around B1, that is totally possible. (and only if you use your opportunity right) But I think Erasmus shouldn't be seen primarily as a language course. The better prepared you arrive, the more you can profit from the real benefits. From studying your field from a different angle. From hearing the original foreign specialists talk about it, not just their (often inferior) English versions of themselves. From getting to know the locals, not just other Erasmus people. This is not about Erasmus people being bad, not at all. But they are all in an unusual situation, like you. With the langauge, you can get to know people in situ. I am getting annoyed at all those answers about Erasmus benefits starting with langauge improvement. While I am all for learning langauges just for fun and for doing a lot of activities just to learn a langauge, I think this time it should be the opposite. The language should be a tool, not the goal. B1 is already a good level to start at, even though very limiting, in my opinion. B2 is a good base. C1 or C2 will allow you enjoy the experience fully. Of course it is different, when you are going to Finland, Hungary, or Denmark. But I still think learning the langauges to B1 in such cases would be worth it, it would just require long term planning. But I can somehow understand people not learning Finnish before going. I cannot understand people not learning French or German before their Erasmus.