Leave your comfort zone Past Review
By Paul Racco (University of Massachusetts Amherst / UMass) - abroad from 09/01/2012 to 12/31/2012 with
American University of Beirut: Beirut - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
A first-hand and eye-opening experience in the non-Western world. It motivated me to get involved in Palestine activism when I returned to UMass.
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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. |
My classes were fascinating (Political Science, History, Arabic) but overall this is an experience where you learning experience does not end when you leave class. Material covered in class on Arab/Lebanese politics and culture would help me navigate the country and interactions I had. I found a volunteering opportunity at Burj al-Barajneh - a nearby Palestinian refugee camp - that overlapped with my Arabic class. When I spoke with the professor about it, he told me to 100% do it, and that I'll learn more than I could possibly learn in any classroom by volunteering at the camp. And I did. |
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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? |
I initially tried out the door but felt restricted in how I could experience Beirut. I quickly found another American exchange student on my campus tour and we found an apartment together on Hamra Street and it was the best decision I made while in Beirut. Find an apartment! |
| * Food: |
Amazing. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Internationals typically to stick to themselves. So you'll have to seek out cultural integration if you want it. I did so by volunteering at an after school program in Burj al-Barajneh nearby. If you do meet a local, befriend them so they'll show you around. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I took a daily pro-biotic supplement for a month before going. I didn't have any issues. I recommend doing this. |
| * Safety: |
The Lebanese have a saying, "haida Lubnan" - "This is Lebanon." There was a car bomb a couple neighborhoods over in Beirut when I was there. The target was a politician. Nobody was killed but all the internationals were spooked. The Lebanese, however, told me "haida Lubnan" casually whenever I asked about it. It's hard to explain, but eventually their attitude rubs off on you and I found myself not concerned for my safety during my stay. It's a testament to the society that they've managed to see their population double with Syrian refugees while still maintaining political stability. Anyone you meet on the street is extraordinarily friendly and outgoing, willing to give you the shirt off your back and cook you dinner. Overall, I felt safe. Just don't do anything stupid, you are in a foreign country, after all. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
A monumentally life changing experience. Growing up in an Italian-American household, living in Lebanon, learning Arabic, and learning about the Palestinian struggle through volunteering at a refugee camp are things I could have only experienced at AUB. Just do it. |
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) |
Rent for a nearby off-campus apartment was around $500/month. Other than that, it depends on your personal financial situation. |
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 |
I found it hard to get locals to speak Arabic with me. At bars/nightlife places, everybody speaks English or French. You'll have to seek it out if you want to practice your Arabic. |
| 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? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Arabic introduction |
| 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? | Learn a dialect. Locals will laugh at you if you speak to them in Fousha. |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Exchange |
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? | Don't bother with the dorms. |
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.' |
