Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Some administrative issues but overall a good experience Past Review

By (Brandeis University) - abroad from 06/04/2018 to 07/26/2018 with

CIEE: Gaborone - Summer Community Public Health

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned more from my experiences traveling and visiting clinics and hospitals than I did in any of my classes. I had to function independently and cook my own meals and learn how to use public transportation. I think it would've been a lot easier with more help and preparation from the program staff, but I definitely grew a lot as a result. I feel really lucky that I had friends in the program who made the experience incredible, and that we got to befriend some of the local university students as well.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

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)

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? None
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Beginner

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Staff were very nice
  • Fellow students were amazing
  • Opportunities for independent travel
* What could be improved?
  • The Setswana class was very poorly taught and I felt that I missed out on connecting with the local culture meaningfully as a result
  • The program director wasn't super organized
  • Communication between staff and students
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish that I had known how much money I would have to spend on food and transportation. If you do a homestay, you get fed two meals a day, which I think saved those students a lot of money. Dorm students weren't given a stipend for food.