Cameroon is one of the best language experience I have ever had October 11, 2023
By Mai T (French & Francophone, Middlebury College) - abroad from 09/30/2021 to 05/23/2022 with
Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Yaoundé
I examined my privilege a lot as a person . It gets me to approach and admire the way Cameroonians get through life despite hardship and in a way, inspire me to explore my spirituality
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. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I love m’y host family, but because of the lack of diversity that I mentioned at the beginning, and what seems to be a selective targeted group of host families, I feel that this does not représente the overal diverse cultures of Cameroon . It only when I got more involved with the locals / my local friends’s families, etc that I realized this |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
100% yes. Very intense , interesting, eye opening on so many levels . |
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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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 |
I’m so glad I changed from France to Cameroon . It’s the best language experience I have ever had and my level rocketed |
| 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? | Fluent |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Level 4 of middlebury Language school program |
| 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? | In Cameroon, just speak, people don’t care about your grammar / accent. It’s not like France so just speak freely |
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
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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 really. I was open from the beginning till the end without any expectation and that worked out |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
History of Cameroon |
| Course Department: | French |
| Instructor: | Monsieur Fofack Eric Wilson |
| Instruction Language: | French |
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