Until Next Time Jordan! Past Review
By A student (Wellesley College) - abroad from 09/05/2017 to 12/21/2017 with
CET Jordan: Internship
I gained a better understanding of life in Jordan an acquired sharper language skills. The only way to truly learn a language is to be immersed and to be forced to utilize it in class and in everyday life. For this reason, CET is a very worthwhile program.
Review Photos
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. |
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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? |
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| * Food: |
There was not a full grocery store nearby. There was a vegetable market and small convenience stores with some essentials, but to find fresh meat one had to take a trip to a larger grocery store in a different neighborhood. CET does not provide food so be prepared to purchase your own. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I did not have any experiences with healthcare, but if students were sick the program was understanding and helped them access the necessary help. In my host country the water is unhealthy to drink so everyone drank bottled water. |
| * Safety: |
Jordan is known for its safety and stability in the Middle East. That being said, there are certain safety precautions which should be taken while in the country. CET outlines these very clearly in their program information at the start of the semester. The only safety related incident that I experienced was in early December when President Trump declared Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. This caused quite a stir across Jordan because there are many Palestinians living in the country and in Amman especially. It was a tense time and the day following the announcement we held class in our apartment buildings instead of the University Campus due to pro-Palestine protests. All of the protests that occurred in Amman were peaceful as far as I know. These protests continued until the end of our program, and though I never felt unsafe, all of us were somewhat on edge and just kept a low profile for the rest of the program. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
Although there are aspects about the program that I would adjust, the CET staff are very encouraging and the instructors are extremely helpful. Living in an apartment building with other students was wonderful because I really got to know some great people. Overall, this experience was intense but I would do it again. |
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) |
The cost of food is relatively low in Jordan depending on what you purchase. Buying in bulk is the way to go and this can be done at any of the larger grocery stores located around Amman. There is one in almost every large shopping mall. Beyond that, Jordan can be as inexpensive as you want it to be. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $50 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Plan out meals and shop at the beginning of the week before classes start. It can be tough to find time to go buy groceries during the week due to traffic, class schedules, and location of the apartment buildings. Also, going out to bars is pretty expensive so minimizing the purchasing of alcohol will also help save money. |
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 |
There is a language pledge so whenever you are with students in the intensive program or on CET planned trips make sure you speak in Arabic. CET is pretty strict about the pledge. |
| 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 |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Arabic 202, Intermediate |
| 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? | Although the internship program is more lenient with the language pledge, try to adhere to it as much as possible outside of the apartment. I did speak English with my roommate and other girls in the program and we actually all became very good friends. Two of these girls were complete beginners in Arabic and still completed the program at a low intermediate level. Certainly speaking constantly will help you nail down new vocabulary, but one of my priorities was to make new friendships abroad so I made the decision to be more relaxed with the pledge at home. |
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 that I had known the rigor of the program. It was just as rigorous in my opinion as a semester at my home school, just in a different way. The cultural differences, schools schedules, and homework combined made for an intense semester. |
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 Outright UrbaniteA social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country. |
