Development In Tanzania Past Review
By Emma L (Pharmacy, Duquesne University) for
Amizade: Tanzania
My study abroad experience with Amizade has changed many aspects of life...and all of them for the better! Before my going to Tanzania I had never gone abroad, and with my experience with Amizade was truly the best and most eye opening month of my life as well as the best academic and life decision I have made thus far in my career. I would go again in a second!
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The teaching methods went way beyond what is read in a text book. The academics of the Amizade trip was more about what was happening in the moment. It was as though life was our text book, and our professor was facilitating the lessons, but the ultimate learning was up to the student. The workload was day to day reading materials as they pertained specially to the area in which we were in, but the work was beyond manageable. I was encouraged to have conversations with the community members and other experiences to cultivate us into global citizens, rather than just hiding my head in a text book. There was work to do before we left the country which consisted of reading 3 novels and writing reflective essays, but once in Tanzania, the work was more about discussing the experiences at hand with the others in the group. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The faciliator on the Amizade trip was very knowledgeable and fluent in Swahili and had spent 1 year in the area. The facilitator was easy to talk to and willing to set up tours of any location in the Karagwe District that I was interested in. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
The food provided on the trip consisted of a variety of foods. It was good for any diet or any eating habit such as vegetarians, meat eaters, or even the lactose intolerant. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Along with the normal day to day experiences that I had on the trip to Tanzania, we were able to go on a safari through the Serengeti Desert and spend a weekend on the beaches of Zanzibar. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Tanzania was safe and very easily accessible. Before I went on my trip, I was worried (as were my parents) about going abroad and how safe it would be for a female college student, but I felt safer in Tanzania than most cities I have visited in the US. Everyone in the Karagwe District is safe and just eager to meet and learn from the travelers that visit the area. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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) |
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Language
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I would most highly recommend this program to students of all ages who want to learn about the developing world from a first hand experience. It is an unconventional classroom with unconventional professors, and students who are willing to open themselves up and view every second as a learning experience, will benefit greatly from the program. |
