Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Adventures in Amman Past Review

By (International/Global Studies., University of the Pacific) for

CIEE: Amman - Language and Culture

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Studying in Jordan has made me more interested in studying Middle East history and politics. I would also like to continue studying Arabic in the future.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Some of the classes have a heavier workload depending on the professor. The grading system is very similar to ours. From my experience, professors were generally very involved and enthusiastic about their classes.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The staff and the professors were very accessible and supportive. I personally though the program was too big. I think we had around 150 students, mostly Americans. I feel that this hindered our ability to learn the language because we spent all our time with each other, especially since we all took classes together as well.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Housing was arranged for us by the program. Most of us were located fairly near the university and the downtown area. The apartments were furnished, we just needed to buy cleaning/bathroom supplies and food.

* Food:

Food was delicious and cheap. My roommate was allergic to wheat but it was easy to find gluten-free products.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Our program arranged a trip to Wadi Rum and Petra in the southern part of Jordan.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

Healthcare was easily accessible. We were given a student handbook with numbers for doctors and locations of pharmacies where English was spoken. I got sick once and it was very easy for me to get the help and medicine I needed.

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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $120 per week Taxis are cheap, especially if you split them with more people. Food at neighborhood grocery stores and markets downtown are very affordable too.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Students living in apartments were required to buy a things to furnish the apartment. It didn´t cost too much, maybe around $100 for everything we needed like cleaning supplies, hangers, extra kitchen supplies. It was an unexpected cost though and I wish that I had been informed earlier.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? None
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? I had never taken Arabic prior to going to Jordan.
If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition?

Language acquisition improvement?

Most people in Jordan speak English so it was really hard to practice the language outside of class. I think the best way to practice is to live with a host family and take advantage of the peer tutor program.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

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  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

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A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • I loved the Arabic classes and the trip to Petra and Wadi Rum.
* What could be improved?
  • I think the dynamics of the program could be improved if there were less people in the program.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? This program is perfect for someone who is ready to get out of their comfort zone. The more effort you put into learning Arabic and practicing with locals, the more you will get out of the experience.