On hell of a ride Past Review
By katherine.seaton.71 (American University) - abroad from 09/02/2011 to 12/23/2011 with
AMIDEAST Rabat - Area & Arabic Language Studies
I learned that living abroad is not easy but that it's all about growth. I learned so much about myself and how I approach and deal with certain situations. I learned how to open up to people I don't know and how to embrace difference until it becomes a familiarity.
Review Photos
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. |
The academics were more intense than other abroad programs I heard about but compared to a normal semester it was pretty similar in course work. Very reading-heavy. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Everyone who worked in the Rabat office was wonderful and extremely helpful. I felt I could approach them with any situation without feeling uncomfortable or awkward. I was very sick for a few days and they immediately got me to the doctor. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I was nervous about them at first because my host parents were very young but in the end I wouldn't have traded my family for anything. They were wonderfully open and welcoming and I still keep in touch with them to this day. |
| * Food: |
The food at local restaurants and hanouts was great but my host mom's cooking was elementary. We lived mostly off of hot dog paninis at home but while traveling and out in Rabat, the food was fantastic. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
My group was pretty sizable so it as easy to be overwhelmed by all of the American surrounding me but everyday we went home to our host families which helped me learn about the culture and improve my language skills without being overcome by English speakers and American kids my age. Traveling for a week during our break also helped me learn so much more about the culture and other areas in Morocco that I hadn't experienced before. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
The program had a doctor they sent all the kids to if we got sick. Many of us did and many of us were sent to the doctor immediately. They took illnesses seriously and made it easy for the students. |
| * Safety: |
Our program administrators made sure that we were safe at all times, giving us preferred routes for traveling and giving us a full week's worth of orientation in the beginning of the semester. |
| 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) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $80/week. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Don't buy everything you see and try not to spend all of your money on food. I came home with way to many souvenirs and ran out of people to give them to. Spend your money on things you know you want and spend it on yourself. Don't spend any major money on gifts for other people because at the end of the semester you'll want all the reminders of your trip and you won't want to see the reminders of our experience disappear. |
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 end of the program? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | French 250 |
| 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? | Try to talk in the local language with the students on your program. It will be hard but it's so easy to resort to English around your classmates from the US and then you forget everything you just learned in class. Also, speak constantly with your host family if you have one because they love to hear you learn (and improve) your languages! |
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? | I can adapt to situations even when I am incredibly unprepared and find solutions to problems I never even dreamed about. |
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 AdventurerThe 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. |
