Beyond life changing! Past Review
By Danielle P (Tufts University) - abroad from 01/14/2014 to 05/25/2014 with
Tel Aviv University: Undergraduate Semester / Year in Israel
This program literally changed my life. It changed my intended career path and how I chose to react to different situations. The relaxed life style that people have while still maintaining a ton of success showed me that I could do the same thing.
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. |
Amazing professors and fun classes that I would have never taken at my home university. The Israel and the Environment class allowed me to go on a jeep trek throughout the desert, and it was one of the most unique experiences I've ever had! |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Madrichim are always around and live in the dorms to help. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
There was a full kitchen and bathroom, and I had a balcony! |
| * Food: |
Israeli food is my absolute favorite! I ate hummus every day--it was hard to adjust back to American hummus after that. There are so many options for restaurants around Tel Aviv with different types of food. I never lacked the type of food I wanted. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The Buddy System helped me meet Israelis in the university and their friends. My buddy and his friends ended up being my very close friends that I am still in contact with today. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I got sick and was able to use the university infirmary as well as had a doctor come to me on shabbat when nothing else was open. |
| * Safety: |
With security guards everywhere, I never felt that I was in danger. |
| 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) |
It's what you make of it. If you eat out all of the time, you will spend a lot of money, but if you use the grocery stores more often and bring lunch to campus, you will not be spending as much. |
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 |
I enrolled in a higher level ulpan as I had studied Hebrew in the past, and they encouraged us not to speak in English. If we had a question that we could not explain in Hebrew, we were of course able to ask in English. |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | If you want to learn the language, speak Hebrew to everyone! It is very easy to speak in English to your friends or to people on the street as most people in Israel speak English. Try to respond in Hebrew and ask them to speak to you in Hebrew if you want to get better! |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Direct Enrollment |
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? | You may stress before coming on the program because it's hard to move to a new country and they may not give you a detailed schedule, but that is the best present they can offer! Learning to be able to study while still being relaxed and enjoying the amazing beaches, hikes, and culture, was the best opportunity I've ever had. |
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. |
