Ça va bien! Past Review
By A student (Brandeis University) - abroad from 01/23/2017 to 05/07/2017 with
SIT Study Abroad: Cameroon - Development and Social Change
You're doing the best you can in the moment. At times, I felt like I wasn't taking advantage of the trip the way I imagined. Once my best friend told me that, my experience greatly improved. Overall, I had a good experience.
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. |
Great program with a lot of resources if you make time to read them. My only critique is that we didn't receive grades on most of our papers until the end of the program. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The staff from my point of view were very helpful anytime I needed them. Don't hesitate to ask for help because the staff has about 11-12 other students to manage but in my experience they make time to help with what you need. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My host family was amazing! All of them were absolutely perfect and accommodating. |
| * Food: |
You will not go hungry in Cameroon. Trust me. There is a pretty diverse selection of food. Most people live not too far from the school site and there is a large grocery store if you don't want to always eat at the restaurant. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
If I spoke better French, I would have definitely felt more integrated. Other than the, I did not have much issue blending in. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
For me personally, I got sick one time and the student coordinator Nathalie was with me the entire time. The local healthcare system outside of the city is not the most sanitary so bring plenty of anti-bacterial wipes and hand sanitizer. Health Insurance, I must add has been difficult for some students as you have to pay out of pocket first and get reimbursed later. I suggest you have a separate budget for health care as you most likely won't get re-imbursed until you return to the US. |
| * Safety: |
Safety is such a broad term because your gender has a lot to do with it. As a woman, you will get cat-called. It's inevitable. At times, the street harassment left me pretty stressed. All things considered, I never feared for my life, the way I would if I were in the US. My only advice is to just keep walking, don't respond unless you WANT to, not because you feel obligated. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
Everything that was meant to happen, happened. Each and every day I am learning to accept that. |
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) |
It was pretty easy for me. I also come from a middle class background with left over scholarship money from my university that plays a major factor. |
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? | Intermediate |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Speak to your host family in French no matter what. They'll kindly correct you if you're wrong and you won't be graded either. Home is the perfect place to practice. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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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? | Practice speaking French every day prior to arriving (even if it's five minutes). You will thank yourself later. |
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 UrbaniteA 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. |
