Hot and bothered, but it was all worth it. Past Review
By A student (Anthropology., St. Mary's College of Maryland) - abroad from 05/20/2014 to 07/09/2014 with
St. Mary's College of Maryland: Kanifing - PEACE in The Gambia
I realized the contexts to which everyday life varies for the individual.
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. |
It was a very tight schedule for the entire program. There was never a time in which students could really rest and explore outside activities, which at times was very upsetting. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The language teachers onsite were very helpful but I felt that the professors from the college were very miscommunicative to both the students and the Gambian teachers. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
It was very annoying to conduct research over the internet when the promise of wifi was implied but unable to be adequately delivered. Some students had issues contacting their families in the United States which caused excess stress and issues. |
| * Food: |
There weren't enough vegetarian options. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I loved my research placement and my language and culture lessons were very useful. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
The local men were very aggressive towards the female students. |
| 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? | $20 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Plan out a list of wanted gifts for individuals back home, do not excessively buy and do not feel too pressured to pay lower prices. Barter. |
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 |
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| 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? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | None |
| 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? | Always study with friends and continuously greet everyone within sight. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? | 10+ |
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? | That a budget of $300 or less could suffice. |
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 Academic or LinguistYou went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you! |
