University of Idaho: Al Akhawayn University Summer Direct

University of Idaho:

Al Akhawayn University Summer Direct

Host(s)

• University of Idaho
• Al Akhawayn University

Countries:

• Morocco
  

Middlebury Schools Abroad: School in the Middle East

Middlebury Schools Abroad:

School in the Middle East

Host(s)

• CV Starr-Middlebury School in the Middle East
• Brandeis University
• Ben Gurion University
• Middlebury Schools

Countries:

• Israel
• Jordan
  

3 Tips for Making the Most of a Study Abroad Program in the Arab Region

“3 Tips for Making the Most of a Study Abroad Program in the Arab Region”

by Vicki Valosik via “USN”

Studying abroad can be a life-changing experience for students, exposing them to new places, customs and foods, as well as new ways of thinking.

For students from the Arab world, studying abroad within the Middle East and North Africa can have particular advantages, says Walid I. Moubayed, professor and dean of admissions and registration at the University of Balamand in Koura, North Lebanon, which currently has 602 international students.

Being closer to home makes it easier for students to travel back during holidays and for parents to visit. Moubayed points out that students staying within the Middle East for college or graduate school are less likely to face the language barriers they would encounter in other parts of the world.

But that doesn’t mean that the adjustment will be easy for everyone. Brian Moran, dean of graduate affairs at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia, says, “Some [KAUST] students from the Middle East have expressed that they didn’t feel they experienced a drastic culture shock, while others have felt that even coming from within the Middle East there was a big difference in the culture, weather or environment.”

[Discover the top-ranked universities in the Arab region.]

Regardless of where you are headed, there a few things you can do to help ensure you have a positive study abroad experience.

Be in the Know Before You Go

Before you travel, taking the time to familiarize yourself not only with the university where you will be studying, but also with the city will help make the transition upon arrival a little smoother.

Moubayed advises international students coming to his institution to “make sure to learn about Lebanon ahead of time, including weather conditions, transportation systems, what facilities are provided in their residency, whether on or off campus, ​areas of attraction and leisure activities.” He also suggests finding out whether the university you will be attending provides transportation to campus for international students, so that it can be arranged ahead of time.

[Get advice on how to pay for higher education in the Arab region.]

Omar Almasri, a Syrian software engineering student at the Jordan University of Science and Technology in Irbid, recommends visiting the country before moving, if possible.

“If you can have a tour inside the country, go for it,” he says. ​Since campus housing is not available for male students at the college, Almasri used his visit to Jordan to find the apartment he now rents.

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“Traveler’s Lodestone” out in Hard Copy!

Celebrations abound! At last, “Traveler’s Lodestone” is officially out in hard copy — a great universal translator ready for use!

After a great deal of time and effort, we have put together this great resource for anyone working with foreign languages. Whether that be while traveling abroad or when dealing with non-native speakers in your own backyard.  “Traveler’s Lodestone”  is a point-to-speak book. It uses picture-based communications to cover the basic things a person would need when conversing in any foreign language. The idea is that when the words aren’t at the tip of your tongue, the pictures are at the tip of your finger. Everything from groceries to clothes to hotel amenities to weather, directions, and more is available instantly with this easy to use book. It’s quick and universal!

Right now it’s out on CreateSpace, but coming soon to Amazon and other booksellers near you. At 5×8 and 100 pages, it’s small enough to stick in your purse or bag and carry around, easy to pull out and use. Check out this great universal translator! Now tested in Korea, Japan, and China–it worked perfectly! (the Bathroom/Toilet pic is apparently very popular 😛 )  Trust me; I’ve tried the dictionaries, translation books, etc. and this is the best tool I’ve found so far.

Great for students abroad!

Pick up Your Paperback Copy By Clicking Here

If you are interested in the E-book Version, that’s available here.  The e-book is actually broken up into 3 short Volumes for easier use.

We’re also working on a Android/Apple app. As soon as I figure out how to attach buttons to links, we’ll be adding that.