Evaluation time!

Today I went to a evaluation session organized to get feedback on how to recruit to Universities that don't/haven't sent many people and about study abroad in general. It elicited some reflection on AUC and my study abroad experience, so I thought I should do some of my initial evaluation, particularly if anyone is reading or will read this blog for more information on AUC.

I'm not sure what order to go in and I know I won't cover everything, but the highlights are as follows! : )

1) Choosing to study abroad in the Middle East: A wonderful decision, and as the President of AUC mentioned in his opening address, something like only 2,000 students from the US study in the Middle East every year, about 1400 of them in Israel. There don't appear to be many year long or semester long options- someone (maybe Middle Eastern Studies Association) needs to do a better job at having these compiled and evaluated. The American University in Beirut and in Cairo are the most known and most popular, but the travel warning on Lebanon is probably a hindrance (though we felt completely safe). It is a fantastic, yet greatly misunderstood region, and I highly support studying here.

2) AUC in particular: As far as my Cairo experience goes, I have nothing but extreme praise. AUC, on the other hand, like any University, has its ups and downs. As a teacher friend puts it American students studying abroad from the US are coming from 1st rate universities, but they find a 2nd or 3rd rate university. The AUC does have many first rate programs and teachers and research opportunities, but it also has a student body that, with exceptions, of course, seems more concerned with style than substance. The environment here is often more akin to high school than college, which appears to be one of the results of the Egyptian educational system and, to be honest, it is often the first time boys and girls are educated together. It is also hard to make friends with people on campus, but if you are active in pursuing them it can definitely happen. From informal discussions with my friends the Arabic program is always praised, Political Science almost universally considered weak (outside of seminars and grad classes), and any class at the 200 level also dismissed. If you want to come to learn Arabic, either do it through another school in Cairo or through the Arabic Language Institute. The other classes just take too much time to completely focus on Arabic. Getting involved with clubs and volunteering can be difficult, but not impossible. Things like teaching English are facilitated easily and I've also had friends do service with orphans. Many of the clubs are focused on fundraising or active primarily in the Ramadan season.

3) Housing

It depends on what you are looking for. The dorm offers a very safe and easy option; students in the dorm become close friends and are more connected to International Student Life. The ISSO office also doesn't actively help you find alternate housing, but there are always signs up at the University and at some of the other expat cultural places in town like the British Council or the Goethe Institute. Living in an apartment is far, far cheaper than the dorms and integrates you more into Egyptian life, but can be troublesome to find in the beginning, especially if you don't speak Arabic. Most students who stay at AUC for a year spend half of the time in the dorm and the other half in an apartment. All apartments are furnished, though, so aside from buying additional cooking and cleaning supplies, you don't have to worry about finding furniture.

4) Economics

Cairo is an extremely cheap place to live if you are in a modest apartment and don't eat out at expensive restaurants all of the time. The AUC estimate of semester costs center around $15,000, which I think is very inflated. Tuition at AUC is almost $7,000, which meant that it was more expensive than an entire semester, all expenses included, at UGA, not an easy amount to swallow. However, after tuition and airfare, you can get by on $ 2,000 - $ 2,500 for the semester easily. I can get about 6 lbs of vegetables for less than a dollar fifty, falafel sandwiches for 15 cents, and my apartment, shared with two other girls, is about $ 125 a month for me. Most apartments per person run from this to about $ 300. Of course there are other expenses that are greater, but things are generally very cheap.

I've only really brushed the surface, and so many things are up to personal preference and different encounters, but this is how I see it! When AUC moves out to the middle of nowhere in two years it could turn into quite another experience, especially because being in the middle of downtown is perfect, but I think there will still be quite a lot going on.

I've been trying to upload pictures of mommy for days and days but the internet keeps being mean. In Sha Allah it will happen soon!