Tel Aviv: Can't wait to return! Past Review
By Rebekah R (Anthropology, Religious Studies, The College of William and Mary) for
Tel Aviv University: Undergraduate Semester / Year in Israel
YES! Language and interpersonal skills, interesting classes, lots of tourism time...a great blend!
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. |
Wonderful class topics, although most were oriented towards international policy and diplomacy. Most were "Intro" or "Overview" classes because students came from a wide variety of backgrounds, but the professors clearly enjoyed teaching. Most were more than knowledgeable, and welcomed discussion outside of the classroom. The best part was participation in the Ulpan, an intensive Hebrew-learning class. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The program was, for the most part, well-run and successful. The two biggest issues were: (a) overseas students were shepherded around and largely kept separate from Israeli students. There were some programs to try to mingle, but for the most part, we were repsonsible for making Israeli friends on our own time; (b) the administration was sometimes brusque and slow to resolve issues like scheduling. However, once they acted, things were smoothed out. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The dorms were like apartments. The only real problem was that they were in Ramat Aviv, not Tel Aviv proper, so on weekends (especially on Shabbat, when everythign shuts down early), if you wanted to go out, you had to catch a bus really early or shell out cash for an expensive cab! |
| * Food: |
Groceries were very American, really. Dining halls and food courts had a fine variety of salads, traditional regional foods, and even MacDonald's. Cafes were my favorite places to eat--most meals were under $10, and you could stay for as long as you wanted! Oh, and COFFEE...get used to it. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Field trips to the Golan, Jerusalem, and Eilat were fantastic. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Israel sounds like a scary place, but Tel Aviv is easily one of the safest places I have ever been for an extended period of time. It's a hassle at first to have all your bags checked or to have to pass through metal detectors, but in the end, you know it's worth it. Really, the only two times I was concerned where my first time in a cab (they drive crazily!) and when I was on a hiking trip. But Tel Aviv--lovely! |
| 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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| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Be aware of the exchange rate. And learn how to HAGGLE and BARTER. The shuk (market) is great for many things, especially fresh foods, but be aware that they can and will take advantage of you if you clearly look or sound like a foreigner. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | 102 Hebrew |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
We began with a 7-week Hebrew intensive, then I spoke some Hebrew during my travels. During the regular semester, most of us continued classroom Hebrew studies. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Be aware of your own expectations of the program and of the counrty. If you want to be primarily a tourist, or a student, or whatever else...it's all awesome and can be balanced, but be flexible and ready to change at a moment's notice. Most of all, be prepared for Shabbat--even if you don't observe the holiday, most of the country does! |
