Amazing, eye-opening, life-changing experience :) بحب الأردن كتير Past Review
By Christiana V (Political Science, NELC, Indiana University - Bloomington) - abroad from 01/11/2013 to 05/10/2013 with
CIEE: Amman - Language and Culture
I gained/learned way more than I can even begin to describe in this survey. Respect for a people and an entire region of the world that is vastly misunderstood is one of the biggest gains I can think of, as well as the many many new friendships with people abroad and in the United States. My gosh, YES it was worthwhile.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
There were some areas that could have used improvement, but overall I felt like I learned a lot. There was never a day while I was abroad that I wasn't learning anything at all. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The administrators were okay. There were times when I became frustrated with the lack of communication between the admin and the professors, and I wasn't quite sure of an appropriate way to handle a few issues given my experience with the language and the customs of the region. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I loved my host family. The only regret I have is becoming too involved outside of school...which I can't really regret except for that it meant I didn't get to spend as much time with my family as I would've liked. |
| * Food: |
LOVED the food :) |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The program had several options for cultural integration, though the success I found wasn't provided through the program. I was actually in a local choir, which I auditioned to get into. The choir members became my family, and I became very close to others I met outside of the program from the University. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I had no health issues while I was abroad, so I can't accurately comment on the local healthcare system. However, one of my friends in the program was dreadfully ill while we were there, and he commented that the local system was very efficient. |
| * Safety: |
The program spent quite a bit of time going into safety precautions, especially for girls. I was constantly with other people, and always had a friend ride back with me to my host family's place. Safety wasn't a huge concern of mine during the day, but at night I always made sure to just be extra aware of my surroundings. I never traveled alone at night if I could help it. I tried to always have one of my guy friends meet me in a cab if I went out, or would have one of my friends from choir who lived nearby drop me off. |
| 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) |
I was spending about $200 a month on extra costs. This was mostly because I was spending more money on taxis getting to and from choir practices, and because I was rarely home for dinner (due to study sessions and choir practices). |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Between $50 and $75 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | If at all possible pack snacks for during the day. Even though food there is relatively cheap, it adds up fast. Budget some extra money so that you can buy drinks at cafes which have internet - being a customer means being able to use the wifi. |
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 |
I was constantly being pushed to use the language, especially by my language instructors and adults in the program. Even outside of the program I was constantly being forced to use it by my native friends who would refuse to speak to me in English for hours at a time, ha. |
| 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? | 2 semester of Arabic, so a 150 level course |
| 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 involved. Even if you think you sound dumb, many of the locals will really appreciate that you are trying to learn their language. As you become more comfortable, challenge yourself and your friends and try and communicate as much as you can in Arabic. |
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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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? | 10+ |
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? | The dress code is a little more laid back than what I had been anticipating. The program is a bit more difficult than one would expect in some regards just because of the cultural differences. The language is tough, but assimilating to a completely new culture at the same time is what really makes it difficult on your brain and emotions. Taking advantage of all opportunities to practice the language while there really pays off in the long run. The time difference between the US and Jordan is much larger than I gave it credit for. If you plan on keeping in touch with people back home (family, friends, significant others) then plan on being flexible in order to have time to communicate. ALSO, my family had wifi, and I was a frequent visitor to a cafe with wifi. For those whose families didn't have wifi, or those who stayed in apartments, they spent money on internet access via little things called dongles. Following that line of thought, make sure and budget extra money to buy phone credit while over there. |
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.' |
