Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Middlebury School in Jordan Past Review

By (Middlebury College) - abroad from 01/22/2019 to 05/13/2019 with

Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury In Amman

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
My experience with the Middlebury school was exceptional and I would recommend it to anyone interested in learning Arabic.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The administration did a good job of handling various issues that arose throughout the program and were very supportive overall.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

I was over-fed, but the food was excellent!

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I had an excellent experience with health care in Jordan. I am a type one Diabetic and was unsure whether or not I would be able to find my medications while in Jordan, but was pleasantly surprised to learn that everything I needed was available and significantly cheaper than in the US.

* Safety:

Amman felt like a generally safe city for me - a white male. The experiences of my fellow students varied, however.

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

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 easy to live on fairly little money, particularly because I received breakfast and dinner from my host family.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 150 dinar
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Take the Bus! It is cheaper than taxis/Uber and is a great opportunity to learn the city (and a good challenge to figure out the bus routes).

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

There was a strict language pledge.

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Intermediate
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Advanced
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? Arabic 301
How many hours per day did you use the language? 10+
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? Speak it as much as possible

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

  • 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?
  • Arabic
* What could be improved?
  • The rigor of the courses could be increased slightly
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Not much, I was glad to go into the experience with an open mind and with general flexibility.

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 Academic or Linguist
You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Intro to Jordanian Arabic
Course Department:
Instructor: Nadiya
Instruction Language:
Comments:
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Jordanian Film&TraditionalSong
Course Department:
Instructor: Yusef
Instruction Language:
Comments:
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Intro Mid East Political Issue
Course Department:
Instructor:
Instruction Language:
Comments:
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Adv Mod Stndrd Arabic High
Course Department:
Instructor: Khetam
Instruction Language:
Comments:
Credit Transfer Issues: