Johnson and Wales study abroad

[wulf325]

Good day,

I just recently registered and this is my first post! I start J@W Denver in the fall as a garnish your degree student. I was wondering if any of you have experience or know of any one who has experience with their study abroad programs? I am mainly interested in their France or Ireland programs.

Thanks
Chad

[AtlTournant]

Chad,

I haven't personally gone to Europe,but know a few who did.

Student visas and all the paperwork aside,keep in mind once you are there,that's it.I'm not sure about J&W,but in my extern program [LCB] if for any reason you did not complete/left/were fired from your externship site,you had only 15 days to secure another.Can't find another site in the 15 days? Well,you don't graduate.Didn't matter if it was Europe or the U.S.

Scrambling for a back-up site [if you don't already have one] in the states is bad enough.Imagine doing it in another country that you may not be familiar with or speak the language fluently.

Ireland;can't help you there,but I do have some French friends in the industry that came over here on work visas with Ritz-Carlton.

These were guys who started their culinary training as early as 12 [they are in their late 20's] and they laughed when they saw how easy it was over here compared to what they experienced day-to-day.All the stereotypical yelling,screaming,pans being thrown,actually being hit by a chef...it happens.

Our labor laws here are funny to them.What you can sue for here is just part of the job in France.Either you take it or you can go.

The American education system left them shaking their heads,too.France's education system is one of the best in the world where an exceptional American student would be struggling to keep up just with the "required" curriculum,even if it was in English.

America may be a superpower,but we are woefully cranking out poorly-educated children.It's a fact.

And if you're an American extern? They don't care because the view is you are on THEIR turf [and Escoffier's] and you should feel honored just to be there.Definately have some fluency in French,because they are not going to slow down or go out of their way to translate for you.You're going to be competing with French externs who will just mow right over you as soon as you falter or show weakness.

Hey,you're talking about a country where cuisine is King and "celebrity" means being an accomplished chef,not Brangelina.

So,the French may be elitist and not particularly fond of Americans at times,but you'd learn a staggering amount if you were went.