18 reviews
4.42 / 5 based on 18 reviews
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rcowger
Student life
Describe host city:
Students interact with the local community without much university involvement
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Activities, Travel: Takes place mostly within the university/student environment
Nightlife: Takes place mostly outside the university/student environment
Personal social experience
Personal comments
Harare is not a night city - especially for women. There are bars and dance clubs in the white suburbs that both men and women attend, but most of the African women do not go to bars or clubs. There are several places to go watch a movie though. The Westgate shopping center has a few good bars and a big movie theater.
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Housing
Type of housing: With a family
Arranged by: Home university
If returning, I would choose: With a family
Why?
I had an incredible host family!
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Personal comments
Syracuse University arranges the housing with middle class Zimbabwean families, who will always provide a separate room, and breakfast and dinner. They are in nice neighborhoods of Harare and the houses are usually impeccably clean.
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rcowger
Expenses
Main source of funding:
Family
Other sources of funding:
Personal savings<br>
Government assistance<br>
A private grant
Work opportunities:
It was not legal for me to work
Personal spending habits
Zimbabwe is incredibly cheap for Americans or Europeans because the Zim currency is so weak. I spent less in five months in Zimbabwe than I did in three weeks in Europe.
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Overall, Food, Housing, Nightlife, Travel, Telephone:
was less expensive than at home.
Accessibility of student needs
Second-hand household items
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rcowger
Languages
Language of instruction: English
Was learning English a key decision factor?
No, it wasn't.
Language difficulties
Administrative / Institutional
Personal comments
Everyone speaks English, but Zimbabweans prefer to speak to one another in Shona. It will definitely be beneficial to learn a few words and phrases in Shona while you're there. They will appreciate it (although they may also laugh at you).
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rcowger
Overall
I wish I had known...
Just prepare yourself for a whole new way of looking at things.
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In my opinion:
Most people loved it.
Important factors in my choice
(1) Unimportant – (4) Very important
Personal recommendation
The best feature is the location and the host family situation. The worst feature is that it goes on strike regularly and the library has nothing. Communicating with home is difficult. But the peopel you meet will make a lasting impression.
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During my experience abroad, I ...
(1) Never – (4) A lot
Became familiar with another culture
Met people from other countries
Experienced a change in life
Advanced my studies & career
Final comments
GO TO VICTORIA FALLS!!!!! Even though it's really touristy, it is the most amazing place on the planet. You must go!!!! To travel cheap, use "chicken buses" not typical tourist transportation, and camp wherever you can. The weather is always nice for camping.
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Academic
Course recommendations
The courses are all really small, which is nice. One of my classes only had three students. But the classes are separated from normal University of Zimbabwe classes, so only Americans are in the classes, which is disappointing. The library is awful, as all African libraries are, and when the university has a strike, you can't get into the library at all. Plan to do a lot of independent work.
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My academic experiences
Interaction with teachers
Interaction with international students
Interaction with local students
Personal comments
With Zimbabwe's limited resources, it's hard to make suggestions because there isn't any money to make improvements.
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My opinion of the university assessment
Exams throughout the course
Essays and/or projects at the end of course
Essays and/or projects throughout the course
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