Amazing Time, wish I'd stayed longer! Past Review
By Kylie Dillinger (University of Denver) - abroad from 09/09/2018 to 12/16/2018 with
SIT Study Abroad: Jordan - Geopolitics, International Relations, and the Future of the Middle East
I gained a better understanding of the culture and lifestyle in Amman as well as multiple archaeology contacts for when I return
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Administration was amazing and fun to hang out with after class hours |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My host family was the best, and I love all of them. I still talk to them all. Other host families that weren't mine were also amazing and were so kind to students |
| * Food: |
Ya'll, food is CHEAP and AMAZING |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Addressed very well, host family especially was so kind and helpful in assisting me and getting me to the hospital (don't freak out, there's just no little doctors, it's just hospitals). |
| * Safety: |
No safety incidents, program advisers were vigilant in ensuring that students wouldn't have an incident and actually assisted in my travel accommodations for making a trip out of Amman |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I loved every moment of the program. Even as a non IR student, I was welcomed and encouraged in my independent research project to do something in my major (archaeology). People were kind, my host family was amazing, and every Friday I went on a trip to visit somewhere new in Jordan |
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) |
Definitely bring spare cash |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | The program actually provided a weekly stipend for food and travel |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Save stipend cash, get good at bartering |
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 |
Was encouraged to use it every day, and the arabic class had multiple exercises that had us out and in the city using arabic |
| 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? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | 2/3rds of Second year arabic |
| 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? | If your host family has kids, be grateful. They're insanely helpful. Also use it in taxis and in general as much as possible. People will be kind and understanding of your efforts to learn the language, trust me. |
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? | 10+ |
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? | DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE THE WINTER. BRING A WARM JACKET |
