J'aime le Cameroun et les Camerounais! Past Review
By Julia Dickson (Johns Hopkins University) - abroad from 08/27/2018 to 12/21/2018 with
Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Yaoundé
I learned SO MUCH about the world. I learned about cultural differences, privilege, colonialism, and my French improved a ton. My worldview has definitely changed, and this semester was easily the best and most transformative semester of my life.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Amazing program. The Middlebury courses were academically rigorous, and the courses at Université Catholique d'Afrique centrale (UCAC) varied. I learned so much outside of the classroom as well (especially because of the language pledge!). |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Ariane is amazing. Whenever I needed anything, I knew that I could text her and that she would reply very quickly. The Professor who taught Meduma was also fantastic. He truly wanted to help us understand the country and always went out of his way to plan excursions or to come on events that we planned. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My host family was amazing and one of the best parts of the experience |
| * Food: |
My host family always made sure that there was food that I liked at home, and my host mom always asked me if I wanted or needed anything else. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Very integrated. I spent most of my time with my host siblings and with another host family. I talked to them a lot about the differences between Cameroon and the US, and they showed me around Yaoundé. I also made Cameroonian friends at my university (UCAC). |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Didn’t have any major health issues, but when I got sick I was seen by a doctor right away |
| * Safety: |
YAOUNDÉ IS A SAFE CITY! I never had any problems and I explored the entire city by foot. Use common sense with valuable items and you will be fine. Everyone is always willing to help you. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
It was amazing and exactly what I was looking for in a study abroad program. I would highly recommend this program if you want an immersive study abroad experience in a country that you don't know a lot about. It is very eye opening and a very different experience than most study abroad experiences. |
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) |
I only paid for lunch and taxi rides. On average, I spent less than $3 on taxis and less than $2 on lunch. You could easily spend $5 or less a day. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | less than $50 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Buy everything in the street and not from supermarkets! Walk instead of taking taxis |
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 |
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? | French Literature |
| 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? | Keep the language pledge! It really helps |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Exchange |
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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| 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? |
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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? | Nothing. I felt very prepared for the experience and loved every minute of it! Past students are a great resource (and we have written/edited a guide for future students) as is Ariane (the director of the program in Cameroon) and Nicole Chance (she works at Middlebury in Vermont). |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Medumba |
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| Instructor: | |
| Instruction Language: | French/Medumba |
| Comments: | This class was amazing. We were able to schedule/create our own field trips. The professor was extremely helpful and wanted us to fully understand the culture of Cameroon. You also learn a traditional dance. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
