Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Tel Aviv: The most fun you will ever have! Past Review

By (International Relations and Affairs., Tufts University) for

Tel Aviv University: Undergraduate Semester / Year in Israel

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I pushed myself out of my comfort zone--since the program did not facilitate too much cultural immersion, I sought out opportunities myself. I had a great experience, for example, when I joined a salsa class by myself that was taught in Hebrew to Tel Aviv University students. I also enjoyed my classes and made an effort to get to know my professors so as to learn even more about their research.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Professors are excellent...the problems arise when fellow classmates are disruptive and pathetic towards the classes

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

please refer to my feedback below...

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

It seemed wasteful for each incoming student to but a new set of kitchenware etc every-time I was very difficult to arrange for visiting friends to stay over at the dorm for multiple days I would have preferred to have lived with Israelis

* Food:

Everyone is responsible for buying their own food but the food in Israel is delicious and priced about the same as in the States

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Simply put, I had a very fun time

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

Security is a top priority for the program

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

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)

Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Living in Tel Aviv, especially in Ramat Aviv (where the university is) can be expensive. Be mindful of where you shop, take the bus not the taxi when you can, bring the basic necessities (sheets, etc) with you from home etc

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? None
Language acquisition improvement?

Ulpan classes were good but not enough. You need to make local friends/join local activities in order to improve.

If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition?

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • I loved the city itself! Tel Aviv is a must visit distention with so much to offer. Vibrant and multicultural, Tel Aviv is lively modern cosmopolitan city. At the same time it is adjacent to the beautiful ancient port city of Jafa. And of course, the beach is always a major plus.
* What could be improved?
  • The program was nice and comfortable, but you could easily have not interacted at all with any locals while in Israel. The program should give students who are serious about learning the language and integrating into local life the opportunity to live with Israeli; otherwise, the international students are quite isolated from "real Israel" because they live and study separately (all in English). Also, I would have like to have seen more course options, including courses that are more quantitative/technical.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? My words of wisdom for incoming students: Make an effort to push yourself socially and intellectually, meet Israelis, improve your Hebrew, take your studies seriously in order to get the most out of the program. At the same time, definitely take advantage of everything this fantastic city has to offer--the beaches, the nightlife, the music and art scene, the marathon (really cool), its quirky eccentricities etc. Enjoy!!