A Unique Cultural Immersion Experience Past Review
By A student (Guilford College) - abroad from 01/04/2012 to 05/21/2012 with
University of Cape Coast: Cape Coast - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
I learned so many things about the way the world works and how if we are interacting internationally we cannot assume that someone knows what we are talking about: because there are truly fundamental/core ideologies that differ depending on where someone lives and experiences life. This trip taught me a lot about tolerance and acceptance, and it was certainly worthwhile.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
|
* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Teaching style was very different, and had very few assignments. |
|
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Some aspects very disorganized and there was a lot of miscommunication or lack thereof. |
|
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I absolutely loved my host mother. My placement into her home couldn't have been a better match! |
| * Food: |
Fried plantains are delicious!!! I missed American food though. |
|
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
|
|
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I got malaria, and was well taken care of. However the hospital on campus is not a place you want to spend very much time. |
| * Safety: |
Only felt truly unsafe twice in 5 months. |
| 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) |
Everything there is much less expensive making it much easier. |
| * Was housing included in your program cost? | Yes |
| * Was food included in your program cost? | Yes |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Probably the equivalent of 30 or 40 dollars per week. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Don't buy things/ as in presents or gifts (for yourself or others) until you have been there for a while, because everything looks so incredible for the first few weeks, but then you really know what you want to buy after about a month or two. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
|
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
|
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Beginner |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | none |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | 0 |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Exchange |
Other Program Information
|
* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
|
| 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? |
|
| * What could be improved? |
|
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | That I would have had to live without running water for 5 months. |
