Fantastic experience that I will carry with me for the rest of my life Past Review

By (Johns Hopkins University) - abroad from 05/08/2017 to 08/08/2014 with

American University of Beirut: Beirut - Intensive Summer Arabic Program

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Friends, experiences, and language, was absolutely worthwhile

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Housing was pretty bad, was nice to live on campus but our room was either freezing cold or an inferno, and the fridge just froze anything we put inside. Location was great

* Food:

Love lebanese food, lot of options close to campus

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Very integrated, both through school projects and meeting people around Beirut, was the best part of my experience there

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

No problems

* Safety:

I felt completely safe

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

Great teachers, interesting side projects, best location in Beirut, and really amazing people, both in and around the program

Finances

* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?

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

Due to accomodations, was not able to cook, but generally not hard to live affordably in Beirut, things are not expensive there

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 140
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Only spend money on things you really want

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

all the time

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Intermediate
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Advanced
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? Advanced Modern Standard Arabic
How many hours per day did you use the language?
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? Plan ahead for daily vocab use and use the words for that day all the time

Direct Enrollment/Exchange

* Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? Direct Enrollment

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • International Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • International Students
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? 10+

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • weekly functional projects
  • fellow students
  • teacher-TA model
* What could be improved?
  • on campus dining
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? really have no complaints on this

Reasons For Studying Abroad

To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you.
The Avid Adventurer
The wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal.