Best Arabic Intensive Study Abroad Program in the Middle-East Past Review
By Hamza Raza (Anonymous University) - abroad from 06/13/2019 to 08/08/2019 with
The Qasid Institute: Amman - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
Studying abroad in Amman, Jordan at the Qasid Institute was an amazing experience for me that I will never forget and will hope to relive over and over again by continuing visits. My experience has taught me how to live and stand on my own, make friends with people from different culture and adapt to new environments. The amount of life skills gained are endless but what is even greater is the self-awareness and discovery to which it has led to my spiritual awakening. I highly recommend people to sign-up to this program and come to Amman without any hesitance.
Review Photos
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 Qasid Arabic Summer program is one the most intense and fun programs for studying Arabic. It gives you everything you need in a short 8 week program and is equivalent to 1-year of Arabic at a university. |
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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? |
Qasid Housing is a highly recommended place to stay for students who don't want to deal with the hassle of finding, maintaining and managing a place. Qasid housing took care of everything and all problems were solved by sending an email or meeting up with the housing coordinator |
| * Food: |
Qasid doesn't provide food as part of their program but there have an upscale cafe what provides students with coffee, drinks and snacks which are helpful for student looking for a quick drink and snack. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I felt at home but that is also because I took the initiative to meet and talk with others. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Amman is extremely and one should follow obvious protocols of when going around in any urban city. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
This is my second time coming to the Qasid Arabic Institute. I loved it so much and will plan to come again for another summer. |
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) |
15 JD a week on food eating falafel and eating out. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 35JD per week |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Make Jordanian friends and they invite you to their house for food. |
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? | Intermediate |
| 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? | Intermediate |
| 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? | - Opportunity: time, money, - Ability: mental capacity - Passion: love the language |
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? | 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? | Suspend judgement when experiencing a new culture |
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 Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
