Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Genuine immersion in Amman August 09, 2025

By (Politics, Scripps College) - abroad from 08/30/2024 to 12/18/2024 with

Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury In Amman

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Beyond worthwhile; gained so much practical language, content, and perspective.

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Responsive, attentive, kind, thoughtful

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

My family was lovely and so kind

* Food:

As with any place, some food is great, some food is less great.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

The program cultivates and maintains a wonderful little "Middlebury bubble" of genuine linguistic and cultural immersion. It's valuable to break out of that bubble into various communities at large, and program staff encourages that and can help support that--but you have to take that on and seek out opportunities.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

Be mindful of transportation in unfamiliar-to-you areas, and particularly late at night. Program staff is available 24/7 if you ever feel like you want to talk to someone on the phone--either to get help, or to make it seem like you know what you're doing in an uncomfortable situation. Pay for your Jordanian SIM card monthly, though!! So you can make the calls you need to whenever you need to.

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

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)

3 meals a day are covered by host family; if you want to spend money on extra things (ie food, going out, taxis everywhere, gym) you can, but you don't need to.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to 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? Advanced Low MSA
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? Challenge yourself to do the pledge to your max, progressively; switch your phone into Arabic, listen to new music, try to translate thoughts, journal in Arabic. These are habits that can outlast the program, even though the intensity of the pledge is, of course, temporary. It's not difficult to break the pledge in speak in English with others as soon as class gets out, but resist that urge when you have the capacity to. It makes it less fun for others and is so much harder to switch back. It's not fair to you :)

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
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?
  • People (staff, students, families) & community
  • Rigor
  • Host-country exploration
* What could be improved?
  • Ways to facilitate immersion beyond the program
  • MSA curricula
  • Volunteering options
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Langauge-learning is not a competition. Take breaths and remember that everyone's doing their own thing. Perfection is not the goal. Growth and joy are more important and valuable.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Accelerated Intro to Jordanian Arabic
Course Department:
Instructor: Nadia Al-Assaf
Instruction Language: Arabic
Comments: This was perhaps the most useful of all of my classes; Nadia is a beyond-phenomenal teacher and it is clear that she has taught this so many times. She had a strong curriculum (that she co-designed) and incorporated our feedback and questions throughout. I'm glad I asked to be moved up a level because I gained so much from this class.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Advanced High Jordanian Arabic (MSA 3)
Course Department:
Instructor:
Instruction Language: Arabic
Comments: The curriculum felt all over the place; in the beginning many of us lacked a firm idea of what we were learning about, and overall much of the grammar was review. Also we went on crazy tangents that were rarely fruitful. I definitely learned much less than I would have in MSA 4 (project-based MSA).
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Intro to Political Issues
Course Department:
Instructor:
Instruction Language:
Comments: Not necessarily challenging linguistically, but I learned lots of vocabulary and content. Nour is smart and very kind.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

The Palestinian Cause in the Jordanian Context
Course Department:
Instructor:
Instruction Language:
Comments: Challenging on all levels: linguistically, theoretically, historically. This course stretched my knowledge and thinking so much. Class visits and visitors were super interesting.
Credit Transfer Issues: