Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Moroccan My World Past Review

By (University of the Pacific) - abroad from 08/21/2017 to 12/20/2017 with

ISEP Exchange: Ifrane - Exchange Program at Al Akhawayn University

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned a lot about myself, the kind of person I want to be, and the kind of people I want to surround myself with. It gave me a new perspective on a lot of things, and was absolutely worthwhile.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

All of my courses were taught in English and were led by very excellent, knowledgeable professors.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Things move a little slowly with any administration, but I feel like Al Akhawayn's administration was particularly so.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Men and women have entirely separate dorm buildings and are not allowed into each other's buildings, but the rooms themselves are not terrible.

* Food:

Campus food is bad pretty much everywhere, but I know of at least one time where people actually got sick from the food at Al Akhawayn.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I integrated very well with campus culture, but Al Akhawayn is even more separated from the surrounding area than Pacific is from Stockton, so it was not easy to interact with people outside the university.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

They have an on-campus doctor who you can visit, and at one point I did so because I was sick. Unfortunately, if you have certain prescriptions, you'll need to order extra and take those with you because it can be difficult to obtain the same prescription while abroad, especially in Morocco.

* Safety:

The campus itself was very safe, as was the city immediately nearby.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

I think this was a very valuable learning experience for me and, while it may have been a smarter decision for me to go somewhere else, I love the experience I had and do not want to trade it for anything else.

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)

Morocco is super cheap compared to the US.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? Probably around $200, but I was also traveling almost every weekend and buying souvenirs.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Plan what souvenirs you're going to buy for people and start shopping early so you're not scrambling later and getting ripped off. Also, in most places people expect you to haggle, so do it!

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
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?
  • The people
  • Traveling
  • How different it was from anything else I've experienced
* What could be improved?
  • The administration at both schools could do a lot better
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? It's okay to embrace who you are, even in a different country.

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 Outright Urbanite
A social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country.