CIEE-Botswana...2 months is not enough time!!! Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The workload was less than expected. I had expected the classes to be much more advanced, instead they were very introductory, which was not necessarily a bad thing. They covered a great deal of information and topics. The grading system was ambiguous and no one had a good idea of their grade in the class throughout our stay. The teaching methods were similar to those at home. Classes were discussion and lecture based and mainly utilized power points. Lecturers were experienced and communicated well.

On-site administration of your program

I think the program size was too large. It was embarrassing and inconvenient to go around with 21 Americans sometimes. I also expected that the majority of the students would have had experience in Public Health or at least have taken an intro class, which I don't think was the case. The administration overall was extremely helpful though. They were able to answer questions quickly and thoroughly.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I feel like the cost breakdown for the dorms was not given/accurate. I felt like people in the dorms paid much more than those in the host families, and that information would have influenced my decision on where to live. It would have been extremely helpful to have a list of the items needed to live in a dorm as opposed to a homestay, I could have brought a lot of them from home and not had to buy them. The dorms were nice however, and I have no complaints about the actual living accommodations; the proximity to the city was very nice. The home stay in Mochudi was amazing and I wish it were longer. I learned so much from my host family, they were incredibly accommodating for what they had, and it was a great experience overall.

The food was amazing, I miss it!

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

All of our trips were incredible, especially the Khama Rhino Sanctuary. I wish we had more time to stay at all of the places.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I did not have any issues with healthcare. The only time I felt unsafe was when we were trying to find a cab one night from the mall. There are a lot of un-contracted cabs, and they are very forward in trying to get you to ride with them. However we were made aware of these situations and I think that prepared us for finding the right way to get home.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Almost everyone in Botswana spoke English, which made it incredibly easy. However, speaking and learning Setswana was preferred and easy too. Everyone loved when we tried to start a conversation in Setswana and were more than willing to help us learn. Batswana took pride in their language.

Select all that apply

• Host Family
• Dorm
• Hotel

Select all that apply

• Americans
• Local Students
• Host Family

• The people.
• The wildlife.
• The food.

• Cost breakdowns/informing the students.
• Make it longer!