Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

A trip wroth taking. Past Review

By (Midway College) - abroad from 06/08/2016 to 07/10/2016 with

IPSL: Tanzania - Global Health, Women's Health & Human Rights

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned that there is time for everything if you're willing help out. It was totally worthwhile.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

He was great but over protective.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

My host family was the most caring and loving parents. I felt like was I was home when I was living with them.

* Food:

The food was great! I like the fact that I could tell my host mom directly what I liked to eat so that she didn't have to waste food. She cared about our feelings a lot and did her best to cook the things we liked most of the time.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

The healthcare in Tanzania wasn't readily available like in U.S. but the hospital I volunteered at tried their best to provide the best care for their patients. I had to get Yellow Fever and Typhoid fever vaccines.

* Safety:

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

IPSL is the best because all the staff from the program has supported me so that I could have the best of the best experience.

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)

It was very hard to stay on the budget when we had a plan every weekend to explore the city.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? probably $150.00
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Yes, I'm going look around different shops to find the best price range so that I don't end up buying a pair of shoes for a price of two pair.

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? None
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? 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 made flash cards at Quizlet and tested myself over and over to study. Another best way to practice Swahili is by talking to your host family or the people in street in the Swahili. Most of the time they will laugh at you but once you ask help from them in Swahili or keep trying they will help you out.

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

  • Local Students
  • Americans
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?
  • Supporting the students to achieve their dreams.
  • Good communication skills.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Institution of Tanzania

Course Department:
Instructor: Temi Evans
Instruction Language: English
Comments: It was challenging yet exciting to learn about a different culture that didn't know anything about in my life. Yes, there was multiple relevant field trips that I enjoyed doing like going to two different museums to learn about the history and the legacy of the Tanzanian presidents. Yes, the teacher was very knowledgeable and helpful. I got to participate less often than at my University because another student used to take over most of our class time talking about themselves or to respond to one topic. I liked the flow doing 2-3 reflection paper each week. But I felt like our schedule was cramped on the week of class because we had two reflections and a project to do along with other class's final exam.
Credit Transfer Issues: I didn't have any issues transferring the credit, but I wish they could of let us know about our grades after the classes ended.