A Full-Circle, Invaluable Experience Past Review

By (Dance & Human Rights, Barnard College) - abroad from 08/26/2012 to 12/19/2012 with

CIEE: Dakar - Language & Culture

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I gained a totally new perspective on what it means to be a minority and how it feels to be blatantly targeted as that minority. I have such an appreciation for the family-centered and communal culture that Senegal has, and I also revere their insistence on peaceful coexistence of people of all religions and ethnicities. I also learned so much about the current place of the West in Sub-Saharan African politics and aid, which completely challenged my previous assumptions and thoughts about African "development." It was absolutely worthwhile!

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Honestly, the academic rigor was quite below the bar I'm normally used to. There is very little homework and/or outside reading and only a few (easy) papers throughout the semester. For my elective courses I ended up taking Gender & Development in Sub-Saharan Africa and Education & Culture in Senegal, both in English. Even though both professors had studied and lived in English-speaking countries for several years and were for all intents and purposes "fluent" speakers, there was still a language and/or translation barrier that greatly hindered the quality of course readings and class discussion. All this said, it would have been completely impossible to have the same level of academics of home there while trying to experience and process everything in the new culture. For that reason alone it was nice to not have to worry so much about academics.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Love the administrators! Serigne and Victoria are so, so great, and are absolutely supportive of every student and whatever needs they have or that come up.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Everyone lives in homestays in this program. CIEE places every student in a pretty wealthy (by Senegalese standards), comfortable home, for the most part. I'd say that that part of the experience was potentially the biggest challenge, but also absolutely necessary as a part of such a community- and family-based culture.

* Food:

The food...well, that was another great challenge. Some of it is delicious, by all means-- ceebujen and yassa poulet are both great, and I loved all of the millet/yogurt dishes (i.e. thiakry, fondée, and lox). However, it does take some getting used to the rest of their diet. The staples are white baguette, white rice, lots of meat (lamb!) and fish, and lots and lots of oil. I was a vegetarian before going, but chose to eat meat while I was there because it is such a big part of the food culture there, and I highly recommend doing this. Even though my host-family knew that I liked lots of vegetables, the most frequent vegetable we ever got in my house was frozen french fries.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

It's hard to pin down an "integration rating" because there are so many different facets of cultural integration. On the one hand, I felt very integrated and comfortable by the end, but on the other you're still a very obvious and visible outsider and are, thus, treated like one at all times, so it can be difficult to truly meld into the culture and society.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I didn't have any severe illness matters, but those who did received great help from the program.

* Safety:

Any city has it's unsafe and safe parts or times of day, Dakar is just another city in that sense. However, because of the peaceful quality of their culture and societal shame on physical harassment, I actually felt safer there than in many American cities.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

Finances

* 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! It's possible to eat every meal at home with the host-family, so you don't have to spend much on food. Plus, the program gives a supplemental food stipend every 2 weeks that is at the minimum 15,000 fCFA ($30), depending upon where you live, which also helps a lot.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? Aside from souvenirs and travel, probably around $10-$20.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Keep track of where and what you spend your money on, get good at bargaining so you don't get ripped off often (especially with the taxis), and watch prices-- Dakar can seem really cheap, but certain things can add up quickly.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

You had to use French anywhere and everywhere, and any Wolof you did manage to learn/use helped a lot with locals.

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? French Intermediate II
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? Practice, learn, and expand your vocabulary!

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
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?
  • Sharing and reflecting with the other students
  • Semester calendar was super well-layed-out
  • Very supportive administration
* What could be improved?
  • Academic quality
  • Length of time in-class (too long!)
  • Explanation of expectations and communication between the program and the host-families
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Independence and personal privacy are very American values that are not necessarily valued highly in other parts of the world (i.e. Senegal)-- especially for young women.

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 Avid Adventurer
The wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal.