Immersion is what you make it Past Review
By Stephen K (Texas A&M University - College Station) - abroad from 05/25/2014 to 12/18/2013 with
CIEE: Amman - Diplomacy and Policy Studies
One of the best things I learned was the abstract idea of how to be comfortable travelling on my own and living abroad.
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 Arabic was good, the other classes. I wouldn't exactly call them rigorous. |
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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? |
The apartments were awesome. They were big than I expected, nicer than I expected, and I honestly don't have any complaints. If we ran out of water or gas we were able to get it fixed really quickly. |
| * Food: |
There was no food provided with the program, but Jordanian food is pretty tasty. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Honestly, we lived in a pretty american bubble. Immersion was definitely available, but you really need to take your own initiative. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I never had an issue, so with no personal experience I give it a theoretical 5 stars. This website won't allow me to not rate a category. |
| * Safety: |
I never once felt unsafe. However, girls don't really walk outside after dark. So I can't speak for how the girls on the program felt. |
| 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) |
You can live very cheaply, but you will sacrifice a lot of what makes studying abroad worth it.... |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 150 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Purchasing alcohol in the Middle East will, in general, bleed you dry. Do with that information what you will. |
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 |
Outside of class, there wasn't really any encouragement to speak in Arabic. |
| 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? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Arabic 202 |
| 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? | Get a conversation partner!! |
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? | 0 |
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? | That their recommended budget is kind of a lowball estimate. |
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. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Arabic 301 |
| Course Department: | Arabic |
| Instructor: | |
| Instruction Language: | Arabic |
| Comments: | |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
