my Moroccan dream study abroad (mostly) come true February 18, 2024

By cleo b (Arabic, Middlebury College) - abroad from 08/25/2024 to 12/12/2024 with

Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury In Rabat, Morocco

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

Yes, I acknowledge that my language skills improved, but I wish I had made a more significant social impact. The volunteer assignment they chose for me didn't feel worthwhile in that regard.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	None

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.	Not overly difficult, but expectations were at time unclear and one professor valued "memorisation" for examples over learning for economics class. Otherwise, level was perfect!
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program	great staff to help with anything I needed!
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?
* Food:	As a vegetarian, I often ate lots of tagine and wished the variety could have been better.
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?
* Safety:
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	No I would have preferred a program that integrates more environmental aspects and scientific research. I believe there are challenges related to drought and earthquakes that I couldn't actively contribute to through the program,, but wanted to!! I noticed several social components where I wished to contribute, such as initiating earthquake relief efforts independently; all initiatives were self-driven. (i reached out on my own, since there was minimal support in this capacity from the program). The English teaching requirement also seemed geared towards the upper class, with a perceived smaller social benefit to volunteering. I didn't feel that my EFL (English as a Foreign Language) skills were effectively utilized as I mostly was required to be an "observer"/

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)	4---> mostly everything was covered by the host family, although sometimes the program would offer to pay transportation costs for program events and then NOT reimburse despite saying it was requiered and cost would be covered.
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	more than supposed to because food was not good :/
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	yes! I would say offer to cook at home because often times the food becomes redundant (although this can be costly because when I did so I needed to cook for the entire family)

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	language pledge
How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program?	Advanced
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program?	Fluent
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure?	the highest level (400 level courses)
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?	use teh colloquial language as much as possible so you feel good in it

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 Other
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?	language partners and host family language teachers the village exvursion
* What could be improved?	choice of "internships"--- something environmental/ social would have been better ability to meet people outside of the "middlebury bubble" options for food
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	I wish I could've known more about the required volunteering for EFL because I already did that on my own time and did not think the particular organization had my same values.

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.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	Colloquial Moroccan Arabic II
Course Department:	arabic
Instructor:	karima
Instruction Language:	arabic
Comments:	phenomenal teacher, I learned a lot of the informal colloquial language
Credit Transfer Issues:	I don't think this will count because it is informal language

Course Name/Rating:	Adv Modern Standard Arabic II
Course Department:	arabic
Instructor:	Hafitha
Instruction Language:	arabic
Comments:	Good philosophical discussions, course was by myself so it was completely adjusted to my needs to be as advanced as I was will to do. Some readings were hard but native TAs helped!
Credit Transfer Issues:	this will not transfer as I already completed highest level of language possible at Middlebury

Course Name/Rating:	Contemp Issues Morocco&No. Afr
Course Department:	arabic
Instructor:	prof zoubi
Instruction Language:	arabic
Comments:	It was challenging and the presentation allowed me to deepen my political science knowledge and vocabulary!
Credit Transfer Issues:	yes, none of these credits from morocco will transfer. I hope I can somehow get help with this because I consider this a comparable course

Course Name/Rating:	economics course one-on-one tutorial
Course Department:	economics
Instructor:	Naila
Instruction Language:	arabic
Comments:	focus was entirely on memoriozation and less on subject specific content. I enjoyed my final project which i did on the green economy!
Credit Transfer Issues:	Again, I feel as though this should count towards my degree but I'm frustrated they are unlikely at this moment to transfer this credit. i am hoping to talk to someone about this.