Enhancing my Arabic while learning who I am Past Review

By Anna W (Undeclared, Yale University) - abroad from 05/26/2013 to 07/19/2013 with

AMIDEAST: Rabat - Summer Intensive Arabic

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

I became much more independent & self-confident about my independence. I definitely think that it was necessary for me to study abroad & I got a lot out of the experience that I wasn't expecting to get.

Review Photos

AMIDEAST: Rabat - Summer Intensive Arabic Photo

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?
* Food:
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?
* Safety:
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	No

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)
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	Approximately $100 a week
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	Wait until towards the end of your time abroad to buy souvenirs and gifts so that you have a better feel for what is authentic, you've learned how to bargain better & you don't end up buying too much & having to buy more luggage to get it back.

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?	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?	L2
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?	Even if you're speaking to someone who is bilingual, force yourself to use only the language that you are there to study & take every opportunity to learn cultural sayings & word connotations, not just cut-and-dry grammar & 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 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?	I loved meeting other students studying Arabic. I also loved getting so close with the host family, even with the language barrier. It's a whole different type of relationship that I wasn't used to. I liked getting to travel all over a brand new country with the other students.
* What could be improved?	I thought that the academic portion of the program lacked organization. I also thought that because most people on the streets don't speak formal Arabic (what we were studying), it was very hard to use your language skills, & I noticed that the beginner students who hadn't taken Arabic prior to the program definitely didn't get any experience communicating with people on the street. Honestly, they couldn't even read Arabic at the end of 8 weeks, so I hardly think it was equivalent to an academic year of study. Morocco is not very conducive to beginning students. I didn't like the use of our one hour a day learning the local dialect because it was country-specific & we learned things that weren't entirely useful.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	I wish I would have researched more of the politics of the area & known about economic issues, the quality of life, & what actual day-to-day life looks like for the average citizen.

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 Blazer Craving 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.'

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