Great Summer in Nizwa Past Review
By A student (Political Science and Government., University of Maryland - College Park) - abroad from 06/13/2014 to 08/15/2014 with
Critical Language Scholarship Program: CLS Arabic
The summer was really great - I learned a lot of Arabic as well as learning a ton about Omani culture and history. I'd definitely recommend CLS to anyone who's committed to language learning.
Personal Information
How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The workload was definitely intense, but that's to be expected when you cram a year's worth of Arabic into less than 2 months. The teachers were great, and I definitely learned a lot. |
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
We lived in a big house as a group - it was a great way for us to bond, but it was occasionally overwhelming to live in tight-ish quarters with people you already take classes with. Plus it would have been nice to have the chance to live with Omanis. |
* Food: |
Food was fine - vegetarians should be careful though, a lot of people will misunderstand what you mean and try to serve you meat anyway! |
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
We had amazing language partners and the option of a homestay for a few days. But living with Americans hindered integration a bit, as did our workload from time to time. |
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I'm still dealing with annoying health insurance things to get a rebate for my trip to a clinic, but the treatment I got was great when I got food poisoning. |
* Safety: |
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If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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) |
CLS gave us a stipend that was more than enough to cover our expenses - I ended up being able to use some of the extra money to go on a trip to the Musandam Governorate during a break, which was a fantastic experience. |
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | None of my own! The program really covered everything we needed. |
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 |
We had a language pledge - not everyone stuck to it all the time but we really got a lot of great opportunities to practice. |
How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Advanced |
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Arabic 205 (4 semesters) |
How many hours per day did you use the language? | 10+ |
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Adhere to the language pledge as much as possible! Sometimes you need a bit of a break to relax, but it really is a great way to push yourself. |
Other Program Information
* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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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? |
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? | I wish I'd known a bit more about how stressful the program would be sometimes just so I'd be prepared to freak out on occasion and know that was totally normal and ultimately worth it. |
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 Academic or LinguistYou went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you! |