Amman: A Home Away From Home Past Review
By Haley C (Sociology, Colorado State University) - abroad from 09/03/2017 to 12/17/2017 with
SIT Study Abroad: Jordan - Modernization and Social Change
This experience has opened so many doors for me, and helped me to gain confidence in my abilities as a researcher, a traveler, a linguist, and a global citizen. This experience showed me how to listen rather than speak, to leap when given the opportunity, and to advocate for a de-stigmatized story of an amazing place.
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. |
The academic courses weren't necessarily rigorous within the framework that we as Americans value in terms of concrete and measurable benchmarks. However, the research experience, resources available, quality of lecturers, and overall experiential education provided a foundation that I will cherish for years to come. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
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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? |
Mental Health Care is heavily stigmatized, and hard to come by (Jordan only has 16 psychiatrists), but SIT made sure that I had access to therapy and medication while I was abroad, and I never felt as though I wasn't cared for. Additionally, I broke my foot one night, and I was immediately taken to the best hospital, driven personally by one of the program coordinators, who stayed with me the entirety of the night. The hospital staff was friendly and professional, and the healthcare was comparable, if not better than any medical treatment I've received at home. |
| * Safety: |
I felt more safe in Amman than I have ever felt in a large city. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | About 100$/week |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Look for free events on Amman's FB pages and keep in mind that Amman has a high cost of living. |
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 |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Intermediate 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? | USE IT EVERYWHERE. Use it even if you feel silly or embarrassed, even if no one can understand you, use it with your English speaking friends, and with your Arabic speaking host family. You will never get the same kind of opportunity to learn like this. |
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? |
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? | It is not my place, or even within my capabilities, to offer solutions to problems that are more nuanced than we often make them out to be. |
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 Avid AdventurerThe wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal. |
