Great Program! Past Review
By Katie G (International/Global Studies., American University) - abroad from 01/11/2013 to 05/10/2013 with
AMIDEAST: Cairo - Area & Arabic Language Studies in Egypt
It was absolutely worthwhile! I gained language skills, got to see and understand perspectives I couldn't learn about in America, and became more flexible and independent.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Very academically rigorous but not more challenging than I could handle. Good support in place. The only downside in terms of resources is, the access to the internet was a bit spotty at times. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The housing is safe, roomy, and pretty comfortable. The kitchens aren't great and the wifi goes in and out though. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Amideast really works on helping students get integrated. The Language and Cultural Exchange program, which matches American students with local Egyptian students, was awesome in that regard. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Amideast places security restrictions on us (like, we're banned from Tahrir Square), so in my experience Cairo has been a very safe place to live. Women have to be aware of harassment issues, but other than that it's all fine. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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Finances
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* 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) |
Egypt is extremely cheap, no problems financially. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $20-$50/week probably |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | read labels carefully at the grocery store and don't buy American brands, buy local ones! |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
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| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Beginner |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Beginner |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | one semester of Arabic, ARAB-102 |
| 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? | Spend a lot of time with your buddy in the Language and Cultural Exchange program |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? |
A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | that Egypt is safe and I didn't need to be so scared to come here. |
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 Academic or LinguistYou went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you! |
