Senegal: extremely difficult at first but absolutely worth it Past Review
By Madeline S (PSYCHOLOGY., Tulane University) for
SIT Study Abroad: Senegal: Global Security and Religious Pluralism
My experience was amazing. I feel like I understand the world so much better because I now understand that even when people seem totally different on the outside, their food, habits, relationships, social interactions, when it comes down to it they're still exactly the same.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
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 |
They were very involved with all the students and we all trusted them very much. Sometimes the grading was frustrating because it was much more arbitrary in a lot of cases than it is at my regular school. It worked very well having the two main administrative people be American and Senegalese. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
I got sick of eating fish and rice for almost every meal. Being a vegetarian is almost impossible. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Going to Kedagou and the village stays were my favorite parts. |
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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
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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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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 60 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | When haggling, stay tough. They will usually try to charge more because you're a foreigner. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | French 324 |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
Hardly any natives spoke English. I spoke French with most of the people I encountered. My French improved a great deal, but my Wolof did not get very good. |
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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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | If you want to focus on culture, this is a great program for you. You need to be flexible and independent for the ISP. |
