A very eventful adventure that changed me as a person. July 05, 2026
By A student (Middle/Near Eastern Languages, Literature, Brown University) - abroad from 01/23/2026 to 05/14/2026 with
Middlebury Language Schools: Arabic Language School
Yes, it was absolutely worthwhile. I gained a much deeper level of Arabic through daily use in Jordan and Morocco, especially as a heritage speaker, and became more comfortable navigating different dialects and real-world conversations. I also learned how to adapt quickly to unexpected changes, especially during the transition from Jordan to Morocco, which ended up becoming a big part of the experience itself.
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. |
I would give the overall educational experience 4 stars. The Jordan program felt more structured and academically rigorous, with a strong balance of coursework, language practice, and support. The Morocco program was still a great experience, but felt a bit less structured in comparison, which made it more flexible but slightly less intensive academically. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
I loved both the Jordan and Morocco portions of the program, though Jordan stood out slightly more for me. The structure, creativity, and events in Jordan were excellent — from what I experienced, everything felt well thought out. In Morocco, we didn't have host families due to the circumstances of the relocation, so I can't speak to that aspect, but the program still did an amazing job with structure and activities given what they were working with. Considering the unexpected circumstances, both programs were genuinely awesome, and I'm impressed with how well everything was handled. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I absolutely loveeeddd my host family in Jordan, and the program did such a great job managing our integration into their homes — it made all the difference in feeling connected to daily life and culture there. As for Morocco, given the circumstances of the relocation, I think the program still did a great job making sure we had everything we needed. |
| * Food: |
Both programs were absolutely great when it came to food — super delicious, and they made sure to accommodate dietary restrictions along the way. No complaints here, just good meals throughout the semester! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
In Jordan, I felt very integrated, especially through my host family and student mentors, which made it easy to engage with daily life and practice Arabic in a meaningful way. In Morocco, that sense of integration wasn’t as strong, since both the host family and structured student mentor components were more limited through the program, so my connection with locals felt more indirect. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I had a very positive experience overall. While in Morocco, I became sick with food poisoning and was able to access healthcare quickly and easily through the program’s support. I received prompt care and felt well supported throughout the process, which made an otherwise stressful situation much easier to handle. |
| * Safety: |
I felt very safe overall in Jordan, and had no safety concerns during that portion of the program. In Morocco, I also generally felt safe, but the neighborhood where we were housed felt less secure at times compared to what I was used to. That being said, I understand how difficult it must have been for the program to arrange housing on short notice, and I appreciated the effort they made to ensure we were accommodated and supported. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I would choose the same program again because the experience in both Jordan and Morocco was incredibly rich, especially in terms of language learning, cultural exposure, and travel. Despite the unexpected transition, the program was well-run and I came away with a lot from both parts of the semester. |
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) |
I was generally able to live comfortably on a student budget, especially when I kept track of my spending. Costs were manageable overall, and with some budgeting, it was fairly easy to avoid overspending on food and personal expenses. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Try to budget a certain amount for the week that you feel comfortable spending. |
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 |
Language pledge! Its really up to you how committed you are, but everyone feels very encouraged to uphold the pledge, so it felt easy to always use the language. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Arabic 500 |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | 10+ |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Use the language as much as you can. Really, after the first few weeks, you really will be able to use solely that language to communicate. |
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? |
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? | Be open to literally everything; you genuinely never know what could happen, and treat every day like a new adventure. |
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 Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
