A hard but unique experience! Past Review

By (Education Studies, French, Middlebury College) - abroad from 02/03/2019 to 05/11/2019 with

Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Yaoundé

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned how to adapt to a new living environment; I learned how to cope to uncomfortable situations in a new language; I experienced a beautiful country in which people live, eat, and interact in different manners than I was used to. I made connections with people that I would never have met without this program, especially my host family. These parts of the program were immensely worthwhile, even if they were often difficult in the moment

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Compared to classes at Middlebury, the classes at L'UCAC are less rigorous in content and in grading, but the fact that we were learning in French was definitely an added challenge

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

There were times when the administration was great, but other times when I was disappointed by the seeming lack of care of the administrators. I was enrolled in this program with one other student for most of the semester, and the program wasn't able to do some of the same travelling that previous semesters had been able to do due to the political conflict in the country. However, I felt that the administration didn't really do much to make up for this; they talked a lot about how cool the trips (that we couldn't do) had been in the past, but didn't pose any alternative trips for us to do. Also, I lost many of my belongings in the middle of the program (stolen in the street) and one of the administrators didn't show much empathy. I understand that it was partially my fault for having most of my valuables on me in the street, and didn't expect to be coddled in any way, but when the first thing that the director said to me was upon hearing this news was, "Well, you'll have to pay for a new key to the Middlebury Center," I felt a bit upset. Especially during a semester where there were only two students for the administration to worry about, I felt as though the administration could have put in a bit more effort to get to know us/support us individually. Other administration members were really helpful in this specific situation, helping me buy new items and taking time out of their week to help me contact the necessary people.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

My host family was the highlight of my abroad experience. My host mother was an incredible host to me, and a very good role model altogether. My host sisters made me feel welcomed and treated me like family. My host father was mostly respectful and welcoming as well. I was thankful that I lived down the road from the other student in the program, in an area of the city that was close to a gym, markets, and other stores.

* Food:

The food was very different from the food that I was used to eating in the US, but overall, it was very good, and a great experience to adapt to a new cuisine. The food that my host family provided me was always enough -- usually a protein, a starch, and a fruit; sometimes, vegetables. I tried many new foods while on trips with the program, and through my Medumba class.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

It was very hard to integrate into the university community, especially taking only two classes that were made up of about 2 weeks of classes. I attended a choir rehearsal early in the semester, but didn't end up sticking with it, as it would have required me to travel to and from the university multiple times alone, sometimes at night, which I didn't feel fully comfortable doing. I would really recommend trying to join a club (singing group, sports team, etc) at UCAC, especially if another student is interested in the same thing. One student was very welcoming to me and the other US student in our classes at UCAC, and I was very grateful for his help and support. My host family also invited me to a few events and parties where we met other Cameroonians. Overall, however, integrating into the local culture was very hard to do for many reasons; 1) the short duration of the semester; 2) the many vastly different aspects of culture to begin with; 3) the fact that there were only two students in the Midd program during my semester, which meant there were less opportunities to meet other host families, share connections, etc.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I personally had no major health concerns during the semester; I had a couple instances of food poisoning, but never had to go to the hospital. Another student in the program, however, left Cameroon after about 5 weeks due to an unknown illness that the doctors were unable to diagnose. Observing this situation, it was evident that there were many differences between the healthcare system in Yaounde versus the healthcare systems that I was used to in Rochester. The students on our program clearly received the most immediate and "high quality" care. The administrator did seem to dismiss some of the student's complaints, which seemed a bit unprofessional to me.

* Safety:

I have a unique perspective of the city's safety because I experienced getting my backpack stolen in the road, which is not a usual occurrence for students in the program. I wish I had been warned that the particular location I was in at the time was one of the most high-crime areas in the city; this is something the program could do better. But I recognize that it was partially my own fault for having so many of my valuable items in my bag at the time. I don't think the city is as safe as many cities in the United States, but it is also probably safer than many cities in the world. There isn't much of a gun violence threat in Yaounde, yet this is a major threat in much of the US. It was hard to feel safe in Yaounde for a while after I experienced what I did, but this wasn't necessarily due to the city itself as much as it was due to a scary experience that could have happened in countless other places in the world.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? No

This is a really tough question for me. I wish there had been an "undecided" button. I wish that some aspects of my semester had been different; for example, I wish that there had been more students from the US. I wish that I had been able to meet and make connections with more Cameroonians my age.

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 is not difficult to live on a student's budget in Cameroon. I didn't often to out to eat, which probably contributed to this ease.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 30
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Cook food in the Middlebury Center's kitchen.

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

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? 230
How many hours per day did you use the language?
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? Having a small quantity of US students in the program helped with this, because there simply weren't many students to speak English with! I think that due to the location of this program, it's more likely for students to stick to the language pledge because there aren't as many English speakers around.

Direct Enrollment/Exchange

* Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? Direct Enrollment

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

  • Local Students
  • 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?
  • My host family
  • The hikes/beauty of the country
  • New foods/cooking
* What could be improved?
  • Administrative support
  • Adaptability to current semester's needs
  • More enrollment in UCAC
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish that I knew how much being in a program with so few other US students would define my experience.

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 Avid Adventurer
The wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Medumba

Course Department: History
Instructor: Professor Basile
Instruction Language: French
Comments: This class served the important purpose of introducing students to different aspects of Cameroonian culture; specifically, the language of Medumba, which is spoken throughout much of the country. Learning a new language in French was challenging, although we were learning very basic functions of the language. Much of the class was spent up and moving around. There was a dance portion where we learned a traditional Cameroonian dance; the professor accompanied me and the other student on many hikes around Yaounde; we cooked meals and traveled to markets. As there were only two students in the class, participation was a given part of every class. The exams that we were given weren't too challenging. The professor really made this class what it was; his concern and investment in us as students was very clear, and became more clear throughout the semester. At the end of the semester, Prof. Basile invited the other student and I over to his house, where he had prepared an incredible spread of local fruits for us to eat. This is just one of the many generous and welcoming actions that Prof. Basile took to welcome us into his country. I would recommend every student to take this class.
Credit Transfer Issues: I didn't have any difficulty transferring this credit to my French major.