ISEP Ghana: Family Away From Home Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Education system is very different. There's no homework, tests or quizes. All grades are based on in class presentations that add up to 30% or less of your final grade, and final exams are worth 70% or more of final grade. So basically, you read for class, or not, go to class, or not(there's up to 400 students in one course so attendance is a joke)take notes in class, and then study for three days straight before the exam. Grading system is MUCH easier than ours. 80% is an A, 70% a B and so on.

On-site administration of your program

Our head of program was Theresa Kwakye, an American living in Ghana for many years. This provided great comfort for students, as she had gone through all of the problems we were having already and knew how to deal with them. Anything could be answered. She also had a lot of connections all over town. When my camera broke, she knew of a place to have it fixed. Available on weekdays, all day and through email or phone on weekends. Expectations completely transcended!

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Housing was arranged through our host coordinator. On campus was completely safe, especially near the international dorms. In the international dorms you can live with a Ghanaian or another international student. Laundry services are respectably priced or you can do your own by hand. sheets, blankets(though you wont need them) and pillows not provided. Cookware not provided, although you may be able to share with your roommate.

Food is very high in carbs, but you'll be walking 3+ miles a day around campus. I didn't have any dietary restrictions so finding food was easy. Word of caution: EVERYTHING is spicey, but if you tell them to hold off on the sauce it's definitely bearable (for my bland palate anyway). Rice and beans are staples along with local yams which are VERY different than sweet potatoes in America. Verypopular among locals but not a favorite among international students were fufu and banku. They're s]undescribable.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Arranged by program: AIR CONDITIONED BUSES!! Kumasi shopping trip, beaches, rainforest walks, monkey sanctuaries, waterfalls, trips to Togo to renew visa. Small group, not program arranged: hippo sanctuaries, Mole national park, beach resorts to relax on long weekends, trips to Benin, trips to Burkina Faso, there's relly a lot to do!

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Very safe during the day, don't be alone at night on campus, and don't be in strange places even in groups in the city at night, populated places are fine in groups. healthcare is provided for by program at a private hospital with great service. A lot of us contracted some sort of stomach infection 3 months into the semester. Watch where you get your food from and take deworming pills, cheap and everywhere, to avoid this (even locals do this every 3-6 months).

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Language was practiced with roommates and in life around Accra, markets, taxis, interactions. Went from absolutely no knowledge to a working base in Twi including Grammar and multiple USEFUL topics: bargaining, getting around, small chat (required for any transaction, Ghanaians are VERY polite).

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• Dorm

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• Americans
• International Students
• Local Students

• the location
• the cuture
• the people

• education in general