Morocco: Best time of my life Past Review
By Lucy R (International Affairs, George Washington University) for
IES Abroad: Rabat - Study in Rabat
Absolutely! I thought I was "worldly" before my study abroad in Morocco, but it changed my perceptions about religion, culture, family, and world affairs more than I ever could have predicted.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
the workload was probably a bit more than most study abroad programs, but the academics were really well embedded into the city and culture. I learned so much about the country, it's history and politics through professors with incredible skill and practice. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
the administrators were incredibly helpful and were there for any needs you may have. I broke my ankle at one point and the director of the program came with me to every single doctors appointment I had, he even held my hand when they sawed the cast back off. He helped us find good deals on hotels etc when we traveled. the program was small (about 20 kids) and that made a real difference in our experience. we were all very close by the end. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
i lived with a host family that was amazing. I had three younger siblings and we lived in the center of town. They helped me with my Arabic and I learned an immeasurable amount about Moroccan culture through them. I didn't need to supply anything for my homestay besides my own clothes and personal effects. They provided me with three meals a day and my own bedroom. Nightlife isn't much in Morocco, but cafes are a great place to meet people and do work/use the internet. |
| * Food: |
food is great in morocco. it does get a little repetitive after a while, but overall the food is delicious, and very cheap. meat is in a lot of meals, so vegetarianism can be difficult, but no impossible. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
IES took us on a ton of great trips. Into the desert on camels to stay with a nomadic tribe, a trip to the mountains, to Fez and to Spain as well as many other trips. All of them were amazing and well organized with plenty to do! |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
people definitely got sick during the program and the administrators were extremely helpful in getting us to the right doctors and hospitals and helping us with medications etc. There were no safety issues beyond basic common sense you would use in any city. Morocco, contrary to popular belief, is extremely safe (statistically more so than the US) and is a great place to explore and travel. |
| 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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Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
live with a host family and try to make local friends! a lot of people speak some english, but they are much more likely to speak French and Arabic so having either of those is definitely a plus and helps you integrate more quickly. |
Other Program Information
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* 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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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? | Go for it and don't look back! It will change your life in ways you can't imagine. |
