Student Teaching in Ghana Past Review

By (Special Education and Teaching., SUNY - College at Geneseo) for

SUNY Geneseo: Traveling - Student Teaching in Ghana

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
The cultural exchange the took place cannot be quantified and has fostered my development as an individual and a professional.

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I did not take any academic courses. I was student teaching and gaining field experience.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Both supervisors were available as much of the time as possible. As the school we were placed in was unaware that we were even coming, sorting out logistics and handling what could be problematic situations consumed their time.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I stayed in 4 different guest houses on campus during my 5 week stay at the university. Housing was fine, I just moved around too much and was never fully situated until the last week or so.

* Food:

We had a student who was gluten-free and another student who was a vegetarian and they both managed.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Elmina Slave Castle, Village of Hope (Orphange), cultural arts villages and markets

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

Vaccines include Malaria, Typhoid, Hep A, Yellow Fever. Mosquitoes carrying malaria come out only at night, otherwise you don't even know they exist and even at night they are not bad. We did not spend much time at in the city alone, as our responsibilities were at the primary school on campus. However, hagglers will try to take advantage of you since you are white and foreign so it is good to have a trusted native with you or another friend from the program.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? I was there for 52 days and spent less than $200 of my own additional money. Program expenses were paid for before I departed.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Food is very cheap. Due to the way our program was setup, I only needed money for minimal food purchasing and souvenirs.

Language

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? None
If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition?

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Other
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans