Amazing immersive experience! Past Review
By Madelyn (Vanderbilt University) - abroad from 02/03/2019 to 05/18/2019 with
SIT Study Abroad: Jordan - Refugees, Health, and Humanitarian Action
So many new friends, understanding and appreciation of Arab culture, improvements in Arabic, etc!
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. |
Not academically rigorous in the traditional sense, but used experiential learning and field visits to learn way more than you ever could in a classroom. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
They are all great, but have a lot of work between them. Super easy to talk to, and you see them every day if you have any questions or concerns. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The best host families!!!!! |
| * Food: |
the best food ever |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Living with a host family is the best to learn about the culture and feel integrated. During the day, it is easy to just spend time with your fellow American students in Westernized places, but if you push yourself there are so many opportunities and places that you can experience the local culture to a fuller extent. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Easily accessible healthcare. |
| * Safety: |
The only safety concern I had while there was driving. Very crazy drivers so be careful crossing streets and wear your seatbelt. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
Learned so much about humanitarian aid and the Middle East from people who are actually in the field rather than textbooks. |
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) |
Stipend very helpful but mostly used on taxi costs, and a few meals a week. Will definitely have to use a bit of your own money, depending on how much you go shopping/get coffee/etc. Super cheap food available everywhere for those on a strict budget. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | about 30 dinar in addition to the stipend. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | bring food from home! drink coffee at home instead of buying it at coffee shops! Find fun free events on facebook! |
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 |
Most people you interact with speak English, so super easy to fall back on that. If you want to speak arabic to people though, they will talk to you in Arabic. Also, taxi drivers are great to practice Arabic with! |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Beginner |
| 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? | Intermediate 1 |
| 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? | Practice with taxi drivers, host family, friends! |
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? | Finding local free/cheap events on Facebook was a game-changer. |
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 AdventurerThe 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. |
