Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

My experience in Israel was one of adventure, discovery, and introspection. Past Review

By (Wartburg College) - abroad from 09/22/2016 to 01/05/2017 with

CIEE: Haifa - International Relations

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned a lot about compassionate listening and the importance of hearing about and understanding others' lived experiences. I also learned how much I really rely on my family. It was definitely worthwhile

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? None

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I felt the the academic rigor and intensity was high, but I feel as though I learned a lot. It may have been a bit too rigorous for a study abroad experience though, as I wanted to do more than just focus on the classroom constantly.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Maha, my program director, was absolutely incredible. She provided me with information that I would have never gotten otherwise. The trips and lectures that she prepared for us greatly advanced my learning experience. I was able to reflect with her and make my experience more holistic.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I enjoyed the space that I was staying in at the dorms. However, I would have liked being placed with more international students, as I did not connect well with my local roommates and they kept to themselves a lot. It was also difficult being so far away from everything in the city. It was difficult to leave campus at times.

* Food:

Although I had to cook for myself, when I went out to restaurants or ate with CIEE, the food was incredible.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Many local students were not receptive to our requests to integrate with them. Especially the Jewish Israeli students. The Arab students were much easier to relate to and integrate with. However, I was able to attend many local cultural events that allowed me to become more integrated into the local culture.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I only got sick once in Israel. Although I did not have to go to the doctor for it, I imagine it would have been difficult, according to the experiences of others that I heard about (language barriers, waiting time, etc.). Before I left, I only needed to update the shot I had already had.

* Safety:

I felt extremely safe my entire time in Israel. There were fires for which we had to be evacuated, and CIEE and the International school were very organized in the evacuation. They also made sure that we were comfortable the entire time.

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

I think that my experience gave me a much better understanding of how to approach issues of social justice, which is the type of work that I want to go into.

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)

Because I had to buy my own groceries and pay for public transportation, it was much more difficult to live on a student's budget.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? About $200
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Ask before you leave what expenses may be incurred. Also ask the general price of groceries in the area. Use this information to make a weekly budget to stay on track

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

I just started Arabic through my program, and because of the way Arabic is learned, it was nearly impossible to use it while speaking in everyday life. We learn reading and writing first, and don't really learn any speaking.

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? None
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Beginner
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? None in Arabic
How many hours per day did you use the language? 0
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? If you are a beginner in Arabic, there really isn't a way to practice the spoken language.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • International Students
* 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?
  • Maha's trips and lectures.
  • The focus on narratives and conflict resolution.
  • The hiking trips.
* What could be improved?
  • Use of the budget.
  • Costs incurred.
  • Transportation explanation.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I knew about the huge break that we would have in the middle of our semester. I would have planned my independent travel differently if I had known.