Israel from the Ground Up Past Review
By Joshua P (PHILOSOPHY AND RELIGIOUS STUDIES., Trinity University) for
Huqoq Excavation Project
I loved this program and hope to return.
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I felt like I learned more in the month I was excavating than in the entire previous school year. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Our director was extremely knowledgeable about Israel and was willing to answer all of our questions. I barely saw any administration, the program ran smoothly and efficiently. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
We were housed in the guest house of a kibbutz. They provided bedding, towels, room cleaning, and fantastic food. There were even a few nights when the kitchen staff put on music for us to dance. |
| * Food: |
The food was prepared fresh and tasted incredible. I didn't have any trouble adjusting to the new tastes. We were given as much food as we wanted and there was always something for everyone to enjoy. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
The staff was very conscious of safety and prepared us well. We were given frequent breaks to drink water, we were taught about local wildlife, and we were allowed to rest if we felt unwell. There was never a concern for my security at any point during the program. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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Finances
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* 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? | ~$75. Food was provided every day during the program. Most of the money that I spent was in the grocery store at the kibbutz and on our Saturday field trips. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | I felt like I was prepared for all of the extra expenses I encountered. We did take a field trip halfway through the program that cost extra, so it is worth being mindful of that cost. And any medical expenses have to be paid out of pocket and then reimbursed on arrival at home. |
Language
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Students who are willing to do hard, physical labor with the benefit of actively discovering history will enjoy every minute of this program. |
