The Best Study Abroad Experience Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The topics of the courses were fascinating, and not like anything I could take at Tufts. However, the courses were not very difficult, and the work load was very easy. However, to me this was a good thing, as it allowed me more time to experience the country, and tour.

On-site administration of your program

Israel is notorious for its terrible beaurocracy, and Rothberg's administration did not disappoint. It was very difficult to get questions answered, or get issues resolved without being sent to four different offices and speaking to five different people. Dealing with the administration isn't impossible, it just requires a certain persistence and insistence that isn't usually called for in the states.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Recently constructed student housing, called the Student Village (the Kfar), consisting of, I believe, 14 eight-story buildings. Although they were only built 2 years ago, some things were done a little cheaply, and twice over the semester, workers came in to spackle cracks in the wall, and a plumber had to fix the toilet. Aside from some minor aesthetic problems, the dorms were very nice. Apartment style living, with 2 bathrooms and a kitchen for five people. They are a short walk from campus, about 15 minutes, but the view is amazing, the housing was very safe, the student village was gated off, with a guard at each of the 2 entrances. <br /><br /> My only problem with the location was that it may have been a little nicer to have been a little closer to campus, but aside from that, the Kfar was a really nice place to live. There were two falafel restaurants down the street, a grocery store and a pizza place. Also bus stops right outside the gate that led to both downtown Jerusalem and the Old City. The student village felt very safe, and similar to Tufts is a short drive/ride outside of the city. It cost about 30-35 shekels (about $10) to take a cab from downtown Jerusalem to the dorms. split between four people, this is very manageable.

There was no meal plan, and I only ate at the dining hall once, on the first day, when I was so jet-lagged that I don't remember at all what it was like However, the food in Israel was delicious (I gained 15lbs in the 5 months I was there), and since I was cooking almost all of my own meals, I was able to make what I wanted. Also, while there was a supermarket right near the dorms, the best way to go grocery shopping was to take the bus or a cab to the market, where they had fresh meat, fruit and vegetables, delicious baked goods and cheap spices. It was very easy to get to, and almost everything there was cheaper than buying at the supermarket, as well as being fresher and local. Just be warned, bread from the market doesn't have the preservatives our bread does: it typically started growing mold about 4 days after being purchased.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I made some great friends, and we traveled all around Israel, from the Golan Heights in the north to Mitzpe Ramon, a canyon in the deserts of the south.

Again, as long as you are careful and aware of where you are, you will be fine. For the most part, safety in Jerusalem works the same as it would in any city: There are some less safe neighborhoods where you wouldn't want to walk through alone in the middle of the night, but downtown Jerusalem always felt safe.

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

The program includes a 4 week Hebrew intensive program at the beginning (Ulpan) which is essentially a crash course in conversational Hebrew. Although when I went, I didn't plan on being able to speak much at all (I'm bad with languages) by April I was shopping and bartering with cab drivers entirely in Hebrew.

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• Americans