Morocco! Past Review
By A student (Berea College) - abroad from 01/24/2018 to 04/28/2018 with
ISA Study Abroad in Meknes, Morocco
I gained a greater sense of independence and understanding of a unique country.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Enjoyable class topics, but not very demanding or rigorous work. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The administration was eager to help and understood students needs. There was some disorganization and miscommunication both with students and between staff members, but overall fairly reliable. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I lived with a first time host family. Communication was difficult at times since I did not speak Arabic or French. Overall, a wonderful experience I would highly recommend. |
| * Food: |
Not a lot of food options in Meknes so you can get tired of eating the same things. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
You jump right into Moroccan culture and society during the excursions when you first arrive. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I did not use the health care, however, other students did mention some problems finding and navigating the system. |
| * Safety: |
Overall, the city felt safe. For women, there is catcalling. The staring, namecalling, etc. can make it difficult to simply walk the streets. Also things such as walking alone at night and conservative dress are issues for women. |
| 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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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | <$10 |
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 |
The language exchanges were not really centered around practicing a 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? | Beginner |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | None |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | 0 |
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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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? | 0 |
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? | There will be many challenges along the way and its okay to ask for help! |
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 Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
