Eye-opening and Life-changing Experience Past Review
By Arica Maurer (American University) - abroad from 06/01/2013 to 08/01/2013 with
American University of Beirut: Beirut - Intensive Summer Arabic Program
I not only learned so much about the language and culture, but about myself as well. By being forced to use my Arabic and learning to navigate Beirut on my own, I found a new confidence in myself. Beirut is truly a one-of-a-kind city - Christians (Maronite Catholic and Eastern Orthodox), Muslims (Sunni and Shi'a), Druze, etc. all living side by side. It was truly moving. Our field trip to the Shatila refugee camp is something that will stay with me forever.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The instructors were excellent teachers with a thorough understanding of linguistics and knowledge of Arabic literature. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The program staff were incredibly organized. I knew what to expect when I arrived, and I felt I could go to them at any time with concerns. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I had a bad experience with my first roommate, but the Student Housing Director addressed my concerns immediately. My main complaint while staying in the dorms was that the regular AUB students were not very tidy. The cleaning staff worked very hard to keep the bathrooms clean, but they could not keep up with the young AUB students who showed little concern for keeping the common bathroom tidy. |
| * Food: |
The best part of Lebanon is the food. Campus on food was very good, but my favorite places were off campus, namely Bar-Bar Falafel and Snack Faisal. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Because we were there during the summer, I think it was more difficult to make friends with local students. However, we were welcomed by local Lebanese everywhere we went. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
In the event of an emergency, AUB has the best teaching hospital in the region on campus. I did require a few trips to the pharmacy, and all of the pharmacists I encountered were very helpful and spoke perfect English. |
| * Safety: |
In general, I felt very safe on campus. The program staff were very safety-conscious, but we traveled to areas that were more susceptible to violence/suicide bombings (e.g., a trip to Shatila refugee camp in the southern suburb of Beirut, which is often a target). |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
AUB's Summer Arabic Program is the best in the world. From speaking with my other friends that studied in Jordan, the Emirates, and Egypt, I think AUB takes the cake. |
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) |
Food was very inexpensive. I was able to save enough to splurge on other experiences later on, such as going to a beach club and taking a trip up into the mountains. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $75 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Eat off campus! The food is better and cheaper. |
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 |
Our instructors only allowed us to speak in English for grammar clarification, etc. Even though my mind was exhausted at the end of each day, I appreciated the strict Arabic-only policy. |
| 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? | Beginner 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? | Learn the local dialect ('aamaya/عامية) - it is the easiest to learn and the easiest to remember. |
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? | I wish I would have known not to drink so much mineral spring water - the high mineral levels in the locally bottled water led me to develop a kidney stone, which I passed a couple weeks after returning home. Next time, I will be incorporating more pure, mineral-free drinking water - or bring my own filter. |
