Short Study Past Review
By A student (Knox College) - abroad from 12/10/2013 to 12/21/2013 with
ThisWorldMusic: Traveling - Study in Ghana: Music, Arts, Culture
Though the trip was almost painfully short and limited in its scope of cultural immersion, I am still extremely thankful I went. It was worthwhile even for the small taste of Ghanaian culture and arts, but it definitely only skimmed the surface.
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. |
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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? |
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| * Food: |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I would have liked to interact more with local people in diverse settings. Staying at the Dagbe Cultural Center offered a wonderful opportunity to integrate into place and people, but this seemed to be difficult considering that we were only there for such a short time. In addition, much of that opportunity to feel integrated felt intertwined with money. It was difficult to interact without the presence of payment for such. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
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| 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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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $100 |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
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? | 0 |
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? | I had no idea that there would be so much to pay for outside of the program fees; especially the "private lessons" (paid out of pocket) which were a central aspect of learning and interacting with the staff/village at Dagbe. On a modest student budget, I felt very unprepared for this. |
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.' |
