Imsrael Past Review
By A student (Connecticut College) - abroad from 02/19/2017 to 06/01/2017 with
University of Haifa: Study Abroad at Haifa International School
I learned to be independent and think for myself.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The classes offered at the University of Haifa International School were interesting and taught by very passionate professors. Many of the professors were only available on the days they taught classes, and I would have liked them to be more available when I needed extra help or to review course materials. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The office staff at the International School were very helpful and always willing to help. A big shout-out to Dana and Shiri for leading our trips and being there as a resource! |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I thought the apartment style housing was a nice adjustment from living in a dorm, and the added benefit was being housed with Israelis. Yet, my shared room was very small and there was not a ton of privacy. There was also no Wi-Fi in my apartment and I had to buy an "Ethernet Adapter" for almost $50US to get internet service. At the same time, I liked cooking my own meals and sharing them with friends. |
| * Food: |
The International School has students purchase their own food, which was nice. I like to cook, but I would've liked having some support with the food budget. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
This question stumped me. I liked with 4 great, Israeli girls who were bright, and gave me great advice on living and studying in Israel. I traveled around Israel on weekends to get a better idea of the countries rich history and culture. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Wherever we traveled in groups, we were always accompanied by a security guard! |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
I wish I had explored more options in Israel, where I took classes and emerged in programming with people who were not in my program. |
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) |
I was very surprised about my money and finances while in Israel. Shopping at the Shuk, the open air market was very easy to afford, versus the big grocery stores near Carmel Center. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $150 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Yes, shop and eat like a local! That means, shop at the Shuk and learn to bargain. Telling someone you are from America... can sometimes hurt you! |
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 |
Yes, to interact with Israelis and not all the time because so many people in Israel speak English! |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Beginner |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Beginner |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | None |
| 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? | Hebrew is hard sometimes, and you should keep an open mind throughout the experience! |
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? |
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? | The requirements of the classes. |
