White Girl Adventuring in the Arab World Past Review

By (Language and Linguistics, Brandeis University) - abroad from 09/08/2011 to 06/15/2012 with

CIEE: Amman - Arabic Language

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
It was absolutely worthwhile. I learned what life is.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

In the fall semester I was a participant in the Language and Culture program which was not academically rigorous. In the spring I was in the Arabic Language program which was much more rigorous.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

I really enjoyed all the members of the administration, but I felt that year-long students got a bit ignored second semester.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I had an excellent housing situation, particularly second semester.

* Food:

Food was as good or bad as you chose to make it.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

First semester I felt like I was surrounded by Americans.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

The local healthcare system was moderate, but I was not pleased with how the program handled it. I especially disliked the iNext insurance. It is incredibly hard to be reimbursed and the red tape and bureaucracy involved is absolutely ridiculous. I appreciated the help CIEE offered, but they absolutely need to switch insurance programs. It was mandatory for me to purchase their travel insurance and I found the coverage dreadful and their customer service appalling.

* Safety:

Jordan really is a relatively safe country, despite its location in an unstable region. I was, however, very uncomfortable with the attention which I received from men there.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

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)

Jordan is a relatively cheap country so I found it relatively easy to live on a moderate student budget.

* Was housing included in your program cost? No
* Was food included in your program cost? No
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? I spent about $600-$800/semester
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? I would advise students to buy food and bring their own lunches to school rather than order out every day. I would also recommend finding a bus to take instead of taxis.

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

First semester, very little. Second semester- fantastic.

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? I had completed Arabic 40, which is 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? I would advise students to practice flashcards/vocabulary in taxis or during any spare moments. I would also say- just keep at it! Instead of switching to English, force yourself to describe what you want in Arabic. Force yourself to speak in Arabic and just keep trying.

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?
  • The people I met
  • the language pledge in the AL program
  • the AL program retreat
* What could be improved?
  • health care
  • LC language committment
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I had done the Arabic Language program first and second semester program.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Introduction to Poetry

Course Department: AL
Instructor: Professor Nizar
Instruction Language: Arabic
Comments: I found this class really wonderful and interesting, but we could have had more challenging work outside of class. It was a bit too critical of our own poetry writing.
Credit Transfer Issues: