Mind-blowing experience beyond expectations June 26, 2023
By A student (Environmental Studies, Brandeis University) - abroad from 02/13/2023 to 06/15/2023 with
Arava Institute for Environmental Studies: Hevel Eilot - Study Abroad in Israel
be more open to differences, be more empathetic, and that insects in the desert are huge!!
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Great academic experience overall, but less rigorous than college academics. |
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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? |
I got assigned to a really nice single room in the units. |
| * Food: |
not much diversity or choices in the food at the kibbutz. most of the time it was just salads and vegetables. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
i had a minor health issue and it was easily accessible in my case. the campus life team was really helpful. |
| * Safety: |
it is a kibbutz located in the middle of the desert and quite far from any big cities other than Eilat, so it felt a little isolated but also relatively safe. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
It was a meaningful and astonishing four months. This program widened my horizons and brought changes to my perspective of the world. The relationships that I built made it an even more special experience. |
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) |
housing and food are all provided by the kibbutz and the institute, so unless doing some travelling or cooking by ourselves, there's not much spending. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Exchange |
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? | bring sandals and be ready for social aspect being a major part of daily life |
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.' |
