Getting a glimpse of Morocco, behind AlAkhawayn gates Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Wasn't very difficult compared to my home institution. The library was pretty limited in resources, and if the library didn't have it - you were out of luck. Many of the students didn't seem to take it too seriously either, which created a very unacademic environment.

On-site administration of your program

International administration was great. Alakhawayn administration was awful. I would seriously consider suspending this program. I consider myself a very rational person, but I have never felt so unwelcome and unappreciated in my life. This in itself was a very eye opening experience. There were many other international students (at Akhawayn for a semester, year, and even staying for their degree) that felt the same way, and while I was there I even got signatures of said students. We were frightened by home unconcerned the administration was with the student body - specifically everyone that wasn't Moroccan. Their view (especially towards the exchange students was "in 3 months time it won't be our problem anymore"). There was an incident where money was stolen from my room and when the culprit didn't come forward (obviously with the punishment being expulsion) nothing was done. It's not the fact that nothing was done that bothers me, it was as if there was no 'second step' if the culprit didn't come forward. Where is the campus security in that? I had to go to administration, security, and housing several times, because none of them communicated the incident with eachother. That's how unimportant they made me feel. Why do that to other students? An exchange student ended up going home mid-February because of an incident the administration refused to address. I'm not saying the US is perfect but at that university, whoever has the money, makes the rules - and some of those students get away with murder because their families make so much money. The Vice-President of student affairs told me “I can’t call his home because the next day grandparents would call me back wondering my I called his grandson a their, we don’t want that do we?”. I had my fair share of culture shock, but this was not that. The only way Akhawayn will respond and attempt to fix these problems, is if the home institutions contact them and demand answers for their actions. That’s what I request of you. These students request this of you too: -Dylan Yu, University of Washington, Seattle -Kendra Schaffer, Willamette University. Salem, Oregon -KANG Yoen hyun, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies. Seoul, Republic of Korea. -Austen Weymueller, Reed College, Portland, OR -Max B. Polisky, Illinois Wesleyan University Bloomington, IL -Alyssa Knapp, University at Albany- SUNY, Albany, NY -Keith Hudson: Benedict College Columbia, South Carolina -Megan Strowger: Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA -Anna Hirai: Akita International University, Akita, Japan -Ariel C.D. Manning, Emory University Atlanta, GA -Leonard Mendelsohn, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC Some of these students have also agreed to send testimonials.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Very large rooms and cleaning staff was very helpful. A great place for a college students

Quality of food isn't that bad, but the meal plan system needs to be revised. There is no way a students can survive on the current meal plan an entire semester, it wouldn't last. It wouldn't last if someone just ate one meal (lunch or dinner) a day - INCLUDING WEEKENDS!

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I didn't feel welcome in the university culture. Many of the students were incredibly immature and I found it hard to relate. Much of the local culture was not like this. But with a closed campus, as an exchange student, I experienced the hell of Akhawayn culture, not Moroccan culture.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I never had health issues.

SEE ADMINISTRATION!!!

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Since it's a 3rd world country, everything was incredibly cheap - especially to the US' standards.

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• Dorm

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• Local Students

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• Local Students

• the people I met off campus
• Living in a different country and appreciating what I have
• the other international students I made friends with

• suspending the program