Unforgettable in Ghana Past Review
By Dan K (Music., University of Massachusetts Amherst) - abroad from 07/27/2012 to 08/18/2012 with
ThisWorldMusic: Traveling - Study in Ghana: Music, Arts, Culture
I am an elementary general music teacher and have already begun teaching my students the drumming, singing and dancing that I learned on this trip. And they are LOVING it! Definitely a worthwhile experience.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The instruction we received at the Dagbe Cultural Center in Ghana was both physically and mentally rigorous. The instructors immersed us in the material that we would slowly begin to master over the two weeks of classes. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Trip administration was managed very well throughout the course of the trip. It was obvious that careful plans had been made to ensure for a positive trip, and unexpected challenges were dealt with quickly and professionally and did not detract from the trip. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The housing offered was not too rugged that it impacted the learning experience. There was a nice mixture of resort style housing with western amenities and more rural authentic African housing throughout the course of the trip. |
| * Food: |
Food was well prepared, delicious and abundant on the trip. Most people brought some of their favorite snacks when they need a taste of home. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The trip had a nice mixture of more touristy activities that were mostly removed from the local culture with time spent in the village of Kopeiya where there was a great deal of interaction with local people. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Minor stomach bugs were the main health issue on our trip. I myself did not get sick, but those who did were well cared for. |
| * Safety: |
I felt very safe during all legs of this trip. Safety tips would be the same as if you were in any large city: travel in groups, keep money out of sight, use caution at night. The village of Kopeiya was very safe and comfortable to be in. |
| 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) |
Restaurant meals had to be purchased for each meal out of pocket when we were not staying at the Dagbe Center. These meals were pretty comparable to U.S. prices and added up over the course of the trip. Bottled water was also purchased at these times. Food and water were included in the stay at the Dagbe Center, limited extra spending on that part of the trip. |
| * Was housing included in your program cost? | Yes |
| * Was food included in your program cost? | No |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $150-$200/per week. I spent $600 USD over the course of the entire trip. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Bring some snacks (i.e. cliff bars, nuts, trail mix, granola bars) from home to eat when needed. When they are consumed you will have space for souvenirs on the way home. Don't feel bad about negotiating hard for gifts and souvenirs from vendors. The prices really fluctuate and you can pay quite a bit more than you should if you don't stand your ground or walk away from a bad deal. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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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? | Ghana is a tropical climate. I would have brought more wicking tech shirts and NO cotton shirts on the trip. |
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 Academic or LinguistYou went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you! |
