Program Reviews

This is the best study abroad program in Jordan if you want to learn Arabic. Immersion really helps with your conversation skills and also your confidence. The staff was great and they will help you with anything, but you do have to take initiative and ask questions. One of my favorite parts of the program was the weekend trips; we explored some really amazing places in Jordan from Wadi Rum in the south to Aljoun in the north. Academics were challenging because they were all taught in Arabic, but I preferred that. If you get a chance, take Yousef Hamdan's literature class. At once the hardest and most rewarding part of the program for myself.

Here's what you need to know about this program: It is what you make it. You can spend your days inside, counting the days until you get to go home. Or you can go out, deal with some of the stress of living in Yaounde, and have some amazing adventures. This is not like a SIT program where someone will hold your hand and ensure that you have a "great experience." If you embrace, and exploit, the freedom of the Middlebury program, you can have a better abroad experience than you would on any SIT program.

I've spent time elsewhere in Africa (The Gambia and Rwanda) and Cameroon is my favorite country in Africa. First of all, it is safe! (Unless, of course, you go to the Extreme North. But in the South of the country, things are completely normal.) Second, it is accessible. Transport around the country is actually quite good, so you can get out and travel around. Third, Cameroonians are cool people. Sure, there are some folks who want to mess with the foreigners, but I only ever encountered good-natured heckling. I never felt threatened by someone. But by and large, Cameroonians are interesting, laid back, and sweet people. And on the Middlebury program, you have lots of opportunities to get to know Cameroonians.

If you are after an experience that will enable you to really plunge into Africa, this program is the best that I know of.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions!

The typical student of French goes to France. While Paris, Bordeaux, or Nantes may seem idyllic experiences, those will pale in comparison to what you will learn in Yaoundé.

Yaoundé challenged me to develop a new sense of confidence in unfamiliar settings. Learning how to take a shared taxi to get around the city is perhaps the most symbolic example. During Orientation, I fell asleep during our trial runs with a staff member. Needless to say, I was worried about how I would get to the university. At first, it was scary standing on the street and announcing my desired destination and fare. I didn't know where I was going to go, how I would get there, and whom I would meet. But just doing it - just going out there and trying to get a taxi taught me what I was capable of. Studying abroad in Yaoundé is a lot like taking the taxi: it's hot, it takes a lot of patience to get anywhere, the ride is bumpy, but you eventually get exactly where you need to be.

Without a doubt, you will speak, learn, feel, and see so much more in Cameroon than in France.

There are a lot of study abroad programs in Paris, but if you're going with the intention of linguistic and cultural integration, this is for you. I met a lot of other students studying abroad and Middlebury's was, based on my observations, by far the best. I advanced a great deal in terms of language, and they planned a lot of fun activities to learn more about Paris and France. They do a great job facilitating with the French universities and I always felt comfortable approaching the administrators whenever I had a problem. A really invaluable experience and I would highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a truly enriching study abroad experience!

Buenos Aires is a fantastic place to spend a semester. While the Middlebury program has qualified staff to support you, the real value of the experience comes from embracing the independence of living in such a diverse city. Studying at the public university is highly recommended because it gives you a better chance to immerse yourself with local students and ways of thinking.

Overall, my semester in Mainz was a great experience. The academic work was challenging, having to write 4 Hausarbeiten over the course of the semester. It is manageable though with the help of the tutors and resources that Middlebury provides. The one downside to my experience was that it wasn't easy meeting other German students outside of the close vicinity of where you live. German dorms aren't like ones in America, in that German students don't typically take it upon themselves to meet and converse with their neighbors, which is very common in the dorm life of American universities. That's at least what I found to be the case for my dorm, but I did meet a number of German students who were more open in this way. However, spending the time with the students I did get to know was really memorable. Mainz has so much to offer in terms of bars, nightlife, Fastnacht, activities and simply beautiful scenery. The key is balancing time for these activities in addition to the pretty tight academic schedule that you have to follow in order to complete your work for the semester.

I had an amazing time studying abroad through Middlebury- so much that I chose to stay in Florence an additional month after the program had ended to pursue an internship (which I couldn't have found without the Middlebury program's help!). If you do go to Florence, I would recommend staying with a host family. I really clicked with mine, and I think my Italian improved a lot as a result. It was so nice to come home each evening and have conversations with them over dinner.

India is such a country of extremes, diversity and in general just so much see. I was lucky enough to travel around a lot as well. It can be a bit of a challenge compared to other places, but its well worth and no matter how long you stay you will just only be scratching the surface in understanding it.

I loved my time in Paris with the Middlebury Program. The staff is very supportive and knowledgable and the courses are thorough. Amy Tondu is the absolute best. You have the opportunity to enroll directly in a Parisian university and simultaneously take 1-2 courses with other Middlebury abroad students at the Middlebury center. In my opinion, this is the best of both worlds: support yet immersion into this fabulous city. Although the language pledge is difficult to uphold, it really does make a difference in your language acquisition. Learning a language is partly physical. Your muscles need to be trained to move in ways that you are not used to and so by staying in the pledge you build up these muscles and fluency becomes much easier to attain! I stayed with a host family who I became very close with. When I was sick my host mom even made me special balms and syrups to help me get better. Paris is an incredible and vibrant city, but if you are not ready to live in a bustling metropolitan where you will likely need to commute daily via metro, then it might not be the program for you.

If you want to study in Buenos Aires and are serious about learning Spanish, the Middlebury Program is your best bet. A smaller program with academic priorities make it a good environment for learning. Make sure you consider carefully which school you want to go to and where you want to live. An advantage of this program is that you only take classes at one school instead of a mix so you become more connected to the people and place. Also, this is a HUGE city, so there are lots of opportunities but also lots of travel time on busses and limited options for fresh air depending on where you live. Studying abroad here is a challenge but an amazing learning experience.