Morocco: An Educational Adventure Past Review
By Rachel C (International Relations and Affairs., The College of William and Mary) for
Arab American Language Institute in Morocco (AALIM): Intensive Arabic Direct Enrollment
Yes, it was totally worthwhile. The things I remember the most are the little things that Moroccans do similarly to or differently from Americans. This ranged from how they dressed to how they interected between families in public--pretty much everyday things. I was bitten by the study abroad bug. I can't wait to study in another country, and I also hope to return to Morocco some day.
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. |
The classes were taught all in Arabic, which I thought was very good since we were there for an intensive language program. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Things were less organized and less on a schedule than I'm used to here at William and Mary, but that seemed to be the Moroccan way rather than a weekness of the host institution's administration. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The hotel we stayed in was very nice and I enjoyed it there. It was perfectly situated near everything important in Meknes, and had a friendly staff that looked out for us. I lived with fellow W&M students, and we rarely practiced Arabic together, so that didn't help my language. |
| * Food: |
All the food we had (what was provided and what we found on our own) was EXCELLENT. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I had a wonderful experience that I won't ever forget, and my Arabic greatly improved. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Sickness were noticed and dealt with by the program director, and doctors and medicine gotten promptly if needed. I felt as safe there as I would in any American city. |
| 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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| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Transportation between the Institute and the airport was not provided free and was rather costly both ways--many thought our initial fee covered the return trip but it didn't. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Beginner |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Arabic 202 (four semesters) |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
Classes were entirely in Arabic--the teachers didn't speak English. Interactions with the hotel staff and and local businesses also had to be in Arabic, which was excellent practice. |
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
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Try everything, no matter how odd it seems (like the public baths--these experiences make great stories!). |
