Study Abroad in East Jerusalem Past Review
By Sarah M (PSYCHOLOGY., Wellesley College) for
Hebrew University of Jerusalem - Rothberg International School: Undergraduate Study Abroad Program
Definitely studying abroad is better than spending a semester at your home institution. It's a very introspective time, you learn a lot about yourself, and appreciate different things back home. I met dozens of amazing people, each from different backgrounds offering different stories.
Personal Information
If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: | Rothberg University |
How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
The term and year this program took place: | Spring 2010 |
Review Your Program
* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The professors here and intelligent and interesting, but the work that they provide resembles my high school experience |
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Israel is known for being disorganized, which was reflected from time to time through the administration. But generally, they were very helpful, responded promptly, and handled questions well. |
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I live in a five-room apartment. I had my own room, and communal bathrooms, kitchen and living room area. The apartments not in the best area in East Jerusalem, but the complex has security, and I have never felt unsafe. The complex is a nice way to get to know other students. <br /><br /> Having arranged housing was a really nice luxury. There isn't much to do in this area on Shabbat, because everything is closed, but other than that, the location is pretty close to campus. |
* Food: |
I would rarely eat out. It's much easier to make your own food. The shuk (local market) has amazingly fresh and cheap produce. |
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I learned the most outside of the classroom. The relations people have with each other and the stories they told me provided a very introspective experience for me. |
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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* Safety: |
There are some neighborhoods in East Jerusalem where I would not feel safe walking along, but other than that, I felt very safe in Israel. |
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) |
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Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | I spent about $100 on personal expenses each week. However, I spent an additional $1000 on traveling during the semester. |
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Make sure you have a travel fund while abroad. Take advantage of the location you're in. |
Language
How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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Language acquisition improvement? |
Rothberg was not incorporated very well into the Hebrew University. Most people in Jerusalem know English, so even when I tried to use the little Hebrew I know, people often responded to me in English. I would speak minimal Hebrew with my roommates and people on the street. |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
* Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Direct Enrollment |
Other Program Information
* 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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A Look Back
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Understand that Rothberg itself will not incorporate you into Israeli culture, you have to make your own effort to get to know Israelis. |
Individual Course Reviews
Course Name/Rating: |
Perspectives on Islam: Religion, History and Culture |
Course Department: | 48407 |
Instructor: | Nafez Nazzal |
Instruction Language: | English |
Comments: | This course gave us perspectives on Islam from a Muslim instructor. Our professor made the course especially valuable, and was one of my favorite classes at Rothberg. |
Credit Transfer Issues: | No |
Course Name/Rating: |
Jerusalem's Architectural Heritage; A Tale of a City and Its Buildings |
Course Department: | 48676 |
Instructor: | Abraham Silver |
Instruction Language: | English |
Comments: | This course combined lectures and field trips in Jerusalem. The professor was very passionate about the subject, and provided an interesting background on Jerusalem's architectural history. |
Credit Transfer Issues: | Not for this course. |
Course Name/Rating: |
Modern Hebrew: Aleph, Beginners Level, Part II |
Course Department: | 48011 |
Instructor: | Ms. Yehudit Warhaftig, Ms. Nomi Drachinsky |
Instruction Language: | Hebrew |
Comments: | This was a required course for all students to become affiliated with Hebrew. |
Credit Transfer Issues: | Yes, I was originally told that I could receive full credit for Hebrew, but after realizing that I was only in continuing Aleph, my study abroad adviser told me the credits might not transfer. If students are studying beginner level Hebrew, try to petition with Rothberg to get out of Hebrew. I know one other student who did. If I had known about my situation earlier in the semester, I could have gotten a full semester's worth of credit. |
Course Name/Rating: |
Neuroeconomics: The Brain in Decision Making |
Course Department: | 48758 |
Instructor: | Itzhak Aharon |
Instruction Language: | English |
Comments: | The course was primarily lecture and video. The subject of neuroeconomics evolved in the 1990s and is a fascinating topic. Unfortunately, my professor's English was not very good, so he relied heavily on video during lecture. The only assignments for the whole course were a presentation and a final paper. |
Credit Transfer Issues: | NO |