Adventure of a lifetime! Past Review
By Quiamony G (International studies, Virginia Commonwealth University / VCU) - abroad from 09/03/2014 to 01/27/2015 with
ISEP Exchange: Sharjah - Exchange Program at American University of Sharjah
It was so worthwhile; this was my first ever trip outside of the U.S. and i earned so much about a different region of the world, was able to dispel myths Americans have about the Middle East/Asian that we unfortunately get from our news and foreign policy makers, and I was able to learn more about myself--the amount of tolerance and compassion I can have for other people, and the curiosity I have in my soul.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Each staff member/ advisor in AUS International Exchange Office remains very up-to-date with the process and procedures of each exchange students program. They work very hard to support student in any way they can and maintain so much patience and kindness along the way. I'm very happy and proud to have interacted with AUS IXO! |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
The Student Center Commons has a great selection of choices--my favorite was probably the new buffet-style restaurant called "Breakpoint". If you don't have a problem with fast food, there's even a Burger King. But one can get really tired of the options you have in commons after a while...luckily there a a number of places to eat just outside of campus, at a little shopping center called Matajer. I enjoyed going there for a nice lunch or dinner, or even to go grocery shopping to make my own meals (there is a grocery store by the name of Carrefour towards the back of the shopping center). There are also two little cooperatives on campus where you can buy food a d products to prepare for yourself. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
As someone who is generally shy and an outsider to the culture (be that campus culture or the culture to the UAE), it was a bit hard at first to make friends at AUS or integrate into the local culture. But once I understood to let go of my insecurities as an outsider and make an effort to understand how people communicate in the UAE I was able to comfortably attend campus events (there are many!) where I made friends from various cultures/nationalities. People at AUS and in the UAE are genuinely nice, hospitable and are very curious about people from around the world who come to visit. Be willing to share your own culture and life experiences and they will most times do the same. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I don't know much about the healthcare of the UAE (as I lucky did not have any emergencies or reasons to seek a health professional while I was there) other than the fact that there is a health center on campus where you can see a nurse or other health professional as needed. There's also a pharmacy that has a wide selection of approved medicines and goods. Also, since AUS is located in the heart of Sharjah's Education City, there is a medical college/hospital that offers healthcare assistance to the people of the city. |
| * Safety: |
The UAE is one of the safest countries in the entire world. AUS has campus security guards, and even special gaurds that secure the campus gates. I never once felt in danger, and the safety I felt in the UAE and at AUS is something I miss--as I'm now back in my home university town, on an urban, open campus. |
| 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? | probably 100AED (that is when I didn't have groceries or didn't cook for myself) |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
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| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Beginner |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Beginner |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | none; but I had taken as high as the intermediate level of Arabic prior to starting |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | When making friends at AUS try to always greet/say goodbye to friends or other people in Arabic. Make it a pattern. Also, because of the diversity of Arabic speakers you'll learn greetings in a variety of different dialects--not just Modern Standard Arabic. Try also having your friends text you little phrases in Arabic. It's interesting seeing Arabic converted to a combination of the English alphabet and numbers! |
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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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? | 10+ |
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? | How easy it was to get a UAE driving license! Taxis are fairly inexpensive (in terms of comparing the fare to how many US dollars I spent), but it can still be limiting. If I bad my own license and car, I would have taken so many more independent trips across the country and tried to integrate more into the national am culture in this way |
