Incredible host family, culturally comfortable, and now i speak Swahili! Past Review
By Rachel C (English and Elementary Ed., Fairfield University) - abroad from 02/01/2014 to 06/06/2014 with
University of Dar es Salaam: Dar es Salaam - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
Cultural respect, learning to live with other cultures, learning a new language, living with a large Tanzanian family was awesome.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
No classroom resources, had classes in a private Jesuit high school. Professors were very rigorous, but weren't great at explaining their expectations. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Janet Gabon was AWESOME. Very present, we saw her almost ever day, and she became very involved in our lives in Dar. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The Host families were the best part of the whole experience. They were incredibly hospitable, sincerely wanted their 'children' to be comfortable, and very friendly. They taught us Swahili, cultural norms, how to live in Dar, and how to understand the differences between American and Tanzanian lifestyles. Every student loved their host families. |
| * Food: |
I LOVE TANZANIAN FOOD |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
By the end of the semester, I was fluent enough to order food, talk to many people, be friendly, etc. EVeryone wants to be your friend, and I felt comfortable to respond to that. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I was robbed once, but most people are robbed when they go. It's just a matter of being smart, not being showy with 'things,' and being as culturally integrated as possible. I was walking with a larger group of Americans than normal, so we were obviously targeted. It's necessary to wear appropriate clothing (cover knees and shoulders, loose skirts, etc.) and not carry valuables. |
| 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) |
Very easily, because the inflation is so high. From traveling, I spent about 2000 dollars. If i hadn't traveled, it would've been about 500. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 10 bucks a week (15,000 Tanzanian Shillings) |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Make sure you have a debit card, and tell your bank that you're going abroad so that they don't cancel it. Also, take out large amounts at a time to minimize bank fees. With each ATM transaction, there was a $5 fee plus a percentage of my withdrawal. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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? | That we weren't having the classes we thought we would have. |
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.' |
