Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Everyone should go to Lebanon Past Review

By (Bard College) - abroad from 08/24/2015 to 05/07/2016 with

American University of Beirut: Beirut - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I made great friends, improved my Arabic a lot, learned about the country's history, culture, and politics, and got to see beautiful and important sites.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I would recommend AUB as the top choice to any students wanting to spend a semester or more in the Middle East. It's a great school with resources for studying Arabic and Middle Eastern Studies. Like anywhere, quality of courses varies from professor to professor, but I had an overall great experience taking Arabic, social science courses, and humanities courses. I wanted a program through which I could directly enroll in a university, instead of spending all of my time with a cohort of American students, and AUB provided this while simultaneously providing international students with support and excursion opportunities through the Office of International Programs.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

Food in Beirut is great! AUB does not have a meal plan, but there is a cafeteria in which you can buy good food. However, at AUB you are just steps from tons of great off campus places to eat - I'd recommend exploring those!

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

You will have great exposure to one part of Lebanese society at AUB, but remember there is a lot more out there, so make sure to get out of the AUB bubble sometimes. That being said, I think it compares very well to most other study abroad programs where all of your courses and cultural experiences are with a cohort of American students.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

AUB has a medical school and hospital, so medical care will never be too far away. Campus security drove me and my roommate to the emergency room at the university's medical center at 2 am when I got sick.

* Safety:

I felt very safe throughout my time in Lebanon (once I got used to some crazy driving). Of course, the situation could change fairly quickly, so it's something to keep an eye on.

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)

Beirut is definitely not a cheap city

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

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
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? A lot of people in Beirut speak English, so some may respond to you in English. This will be the cases in a lot of cities you could study abroad in, but just insist on speaking Arabic even when people respond in English.

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

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
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?
  • People
  • Trips
  • Classes
* What could be improved?
  • More on-campus study space
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I was there for two semesters so it felt like I would have forever to visit all of the sites around Lebanon. Not so! The time goes by so fast, and there are still places I need to get back to Lebanon to see.

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 Linguist
You 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!