Falling in Love with Morocco (without the program's help) Past Review
By A student (Brandeis University) - abroad from 08/25/2012 to 12/22/2012 with
AMIDEAST Rabat - Area & Arabic Language Studies
I gained so much abroad--greater independence, greater appreciation for other cultures and religions and world views. I'm less afraid of the unknown, of Turkish toilets, of dirty things. I've gained a love of bargaining and Moroccan spices and espresso. I've gained friends--American and Moroccan--with whom I am determined to keep in touch. This sounds oh so corny, but I've gained a second home. I sincerely love Morocco and I desperately hope I will return.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Academics were the low point of my semester abroad. While the Arabic language classes (Modern Standard and Darija) were both excellent, the electives left a lot to be desired. Many professors (who were almost all Moroccan and from Mohammed V University), though they had been teaching with AMIDEAST for a while, had a teaching style that didn't mesh well with American students. One of my professors couldn't stop reading her powerpoints for the first half of the semester and another was far too confident in his own views to give his students' views a fair shot. Furthermore, there needs to be more variety in what courses are offered--every course is social sciences-related (mostly political science). AMIDEAST's programs in Jordan and Egypt have courses related to the arts (art history, architecture), so why can't Morocco have the same? |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The administration is very kind, understanding, and always free to listen. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My host family wasn't incredibly welcoming, but most other students' families sounded wonderful. I made friends with some other Moroccan families, and it seemed like mine was an anomaly. |
| * Food: |
Moroccan food is amazing, and you can easily find food that's both cheap and delicious at a restaurant or on the street. The medina in Rabat has incredible food--fish and vegetable sandwiches, delicious yogurt, and the greatest pastries you will ever have. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
It's almost impossible to be completely integrated into Moroccan culture if you're not from the region--appearance-wise, you stick out. Still, I think I learned the local language as well as I could in four months, and I made enough connections and friendships with Moroccans to get a better feel for the culture. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Rabat is very safe (though there is a fair amount of verbal sexual harassment). Moroccans pride themselves in the fact that their country has very few guns. The only crimes I've heard people were victims of were petty crimes like muggings, and those were few and far between. |
| 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) |
The Dirham-US Dollar exchange rate is very favorable. I went out to eat every day and I still was able to stay within my budget. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $15 |
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? | Arabic 20 |
| 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? | AMIDEAST told us this at the beginning of the program, but I didn't take it seriously enough: pick one language you want to focus on and only use that language. Seriously. In the beginning of the program, I relied too much on my French. After I learned some Darija, I would use that too, but only the limited vocabulary I knew. For some reason, my brain couldn't switch between Darija and Fus'ha as easily as it could between Darija and French, so I only ever used Fus'ha in class. Now my Fus'ha speaking skills are only slightly better now than when I began the semester. Pick a language and use it all the time. Struggle through it--you'll be glad you did. And talk to your host family in Arabic, even if they know English or French! You will be so glad you did. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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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? | Who needs to know everything? I loved going to Morocco without expectations--it made falling in love with the place that much more exciting. |
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 Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
