When Do I Get to Go Back? Past Review

By Sahar K (American University) - abroad from 08/24/0013 to 01/21/2014 with

AMIDEAST Rabat - Area & Arabic Language Studies

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

I learned very much and relearned important life lessons that I have never paid much attention to, forgot, or pushed to the back of my life. It was the most worthwhile decision I have ever made.

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.	the academic program's merit lay mostly in the fact that it was an interesting cultural experience. Classes were not very rigorous but it was interesting to study in a Moroccan context
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program	Excellent. Staff was interesting of the two major program staff members, one was incredibly incompetent and the other, Doha Ait Ahmed responded to any sort of situation with 100% effectiveness and sensitivity.
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	Amazing experience
* Food:	Gained 12 pounds... well worth it. Healthy food and delicious... also vegetarian friendly
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	Social integration was the most rewarding part of this experience. I am thoroughly satisfied with the experience
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?
* Safety:	The city is safe except for petty theft. There is an overall feeling of insecurity especially for women that put a damper on the experience. Most of the safety issues are psychological
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	Yes

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)	Derhams are wonderful. I saved a lot of money and used it to go on trips to the Sahara and different cities in Morocco. I did not use an ATM for the entire duration of the program. The stipends are amazing
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	about 70
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	Save your stipends... if you're smart and can get around, you can live on 50 derhams a week of the 200 derham stipend. There are places that serve great food for 8-15 derham. Get out of Agdal and you'll get great and cheap food. I spent 50/200 on weekly expenses and saved the rest for trips, gifts and fun stuff

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
How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program?	None
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?	Arabic 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?	Listen to Moroccan music! I made a playlist of Moroccan songs and my comprehension and vocabulary improved overnight... It's incredibly effective

Other Program Information

* Where did you live? Select all that apply	Host Family
* Who did you live with? Select all that apply	Americans Host Family
* Who did you take classes with? Select all that apply	Americans
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?	Doha, program manager food interacting with people
* What could be improved?	the academic program needs serious improvement the language partner program
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	I wish I remembered to bring socks. Also, I wish I had known to have solid plans for Eid Al Adha (slaughtering). Most importantly, I wish I had known how much I would love the experience so I could soak in more.

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 Blazer Craving 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.'

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	Community Based Learning
Course Department:
Instructor:	Mohammad Chtatou
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	There was limited communication both in terms of email and classroom. The Professor assured students that "everything would be fine" , he would "email us about it later" and "get back to us ASAP" however, he rarely did. At the end of the term, we received grades that only reflected the lack of organization of the course, not performance, effort, or anything academic.
Credit Transfer Issues:	Not that I know of