Alexandria, Egypt: a language- and character-building experience Past Review
By Renee C (History, Middle Eastern Studies, Wellesley College) for
Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Alexandria
Yes - My Arabic improved immensely and it was an great challenge to overcome.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The language pledge was very challenging but in retrospect it was extremely beneficial in learning the dialect and becoming fluent. As far as learning Modern Standard Arabic, the program was not particularly strong. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The program size was perfect! I wish the administration could have done more about our housing situation. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The women working in the dorms were often unkind. The curfew was unreasonable and we were often locked out of the building for long periods of time at night. |
| * Food: |
the food was horrible. There was no variety whatsoever, they limited our portions (one piece chicken, one box of juice, etc.) and the chicken was often undercooked or raw. Many of us, especially in the girls dorms, got sick frequently because of the food, and by the end of the program stopped eating there altogether. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The field trips were fun! |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
The greatest danger was traffic accidents, but they addressed this well in orientation. |
| 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? | less than 50 USD per week. Street food and taxis are extremely inexpensive, but the prices increase exponentially in touristy areas. Speak Arabic and trust your instincts (when you think you're getting ripped off, you probably are). |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | You'll have to save up for any international travel - flights around the Middle East are expensive, even for short distances (but it's worth it). |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Advanced Literary Arabic |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
Because of the language pledge, I was practicing the language all the time with everybody. In particular, I learned from my Egyptian roommate and the other Egyptian girls in the dorm. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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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? | Be adaptable and adventurous but make sure to take care of yourself. |
