A hard but unique experience! Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Compared to classes at Middlebury, the classes at L'UCAC are less rigorous in content and in grading, but the fact that we were learning in French was definitely an added challenge

On-site administration of your program

There were times when the administration was great, but other times when I was disappointed by the seeming lack of care of the administrators. I was enrolled in this program with one other student for most of the semester, and the program wasn't able to do some of the same travelling that previous semesters had been able to do due to the political conflict in the country. However, I felt that the administration didn't really do much to make up for this; they talked a lot about how cool the trips (that we couldn't do) had been in the past, but didn't pose any alternative trips for us to do. Also, I lost many of my belongings in the middle of the program (stolen in the street) and one of the administrators didn't show much empathy. I understand that it was partially my fault for having most of my valuables on me in the street, and didn't expect to be coddled in any way, but when the first thing that the director said to me was upon hearing this news was, "Well, you'll have to pay for a new key to the Middlebury Center," I felt a bit upset. Especially during a semester where there were only two students for the administration to worry about, I felt as though the administration could have put in a bit more effort to get to know us/support us individually. Other administration members were really helpful in this specific situation, helping me buy new items and taking time out of their week to help me contact the necessary people.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

My host family was the highlight of my abroad experience. My host mother was an incredible host to me, and a very good role model altogether. My host sisters made me feel welcomed and treated me like family. My host father was mostly respectful and welcoming as well. I was thankful that I lived down the road from the other student in the program, in an area of the city that was close to a gym, markets, and other stores.

The food was very different from the food that I was used to eating in the US, but overall, it was very good, and a great experience to adapt to a new cuisine. The food that my host family provided me was always enough -- usually a protein, a starch, and a fruit; sometimes, vegetables. I tried many new foods while on trips with the program, and through my Medumba class.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

It was very hard to integrate into the university community, especially taking only two classes that were made up of about 2 weeks of classes. I attended a choir rehearsal early in the semester, but didn't end up sticking with it, as it would have required me to travel to and from the university multiple times alone, sometimes at night, which I didn't feel fully comfortable doing. I would really recommend trying to join a club (singing group, sports team, etc) at UCAC, especially if another student is interested in the same thing. One student was very welcoming to me and the other US student in our classes at UCAC, and I was very grateful for his help and support. My host family also invited me to a few events and parties where we met other Cameroonians. Overall, however, integrating into the local culture was very hard to do for many reasons; 1) the short duration of the semester; 2) the many vastly different aspects of culture to begin with; 3) the fact that there were only two students in the Midd program during my semester, which meant there were less opportunities to meet other host families, share connections, etc.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I personally had no major health concerns during the semester; I had a couple instances of food poisoning, but never had to go to the hospital. Another student in the program, however, left Cameroon after about 5 weeks due to an unknown illness that the doctors were unable to diagnose. Observing this situation, it was evident that there were many differences between the healthcare system in Yaounde versus the healthcare systems that I was used to in Rochester. The students on our program clearly received the most immediate and "high quality" care. The administrator did seem to dismiss some of the student's complaints, which seemed a bit unprofessional to me.

I have a unique perspective of the city's safety because I experienced getting my backpack stolen in the road, which is not a usual occurrence for students in the program. I wish I had been warned that the particular location I was in at the time was one of the most high-crime areas in the city; this is something the program could do better. But I recognize that it was partially my own fault for having so many of my valuable items in my bag at the time. I don't think the city is as safe as many cities in the United States, but it is also probably safer than many cities in the world. There isn't much of a gun violence threat in Yaounde, yet this is a major threat in much of the US. It was hard to feel safe in Yaounde for a while after I experienced what I did, but this wasn't necessarily due to the city itself as much as it was due to a scary experience that could have happened in countless other places in the world.

This is a really tough question for me. I wish there had been an "undecided" button. I wish that some aspects of my semester had been different; for example, I wish that there had been more students from the US. I wish that I had been able to meet and make connections with more Cameroonians my age.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

It is not difficult to live on a student's budget in Cameroon. I didn't often to out to eat, which probably contributed to this ease.

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

Select all that apply

• Host Family

Select all that apply

• Host Family

Select all that apply

• Local Students
• Americans

• My host family
• The hikes/beauty of the country
• New foods/cooking

• Administrative support
• Adaptability to current semester's needs
• More enrollment in UCAC

The Avid Adventurer