Fun, Educational, Exciting Foray into Mexican Language and Culture Past Review
By A student (Urban Studies/Affairs., Trinity University) - abroad from 06/03/2012 to 06/30/2012 with
Central College Abroad: Merida - Studies in Global Health in the Yucatan
I learned a lot about myself because I was able to be in a new place with people who had no preconceived notions about who I was. For that reason, I was able to try a lot of things that I normally wouldn't. It was absolutely worthwhile and, honestly, probably the best month of my life.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I had a very helpful prof and lots of individual attention, but there was a little less class time and course intensity than I expected. In most people's cases, though, the homestay component probably made up for that. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The program director was extremely organized, so our excursions were educational and went very smoothly. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Both the homestay and Central College house were really nice. |
| * Food: |
Basically everything I ate in Mexico was awesome. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Merida is incredibly safe, so my only advice would be that students be aware of that and not let fear for safety inhibit any potential new experiences. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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Finances
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* 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) |
Mexico is nice in this way because things are so much cheaper there. I feel like the program costs could have been a little lower if we hadn't had all the fancy tour buses/guides, but it's hard to be sure the excursions would have gone as smoothly that way. |
| * 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? | Maybe $10 -- not much. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Find and go to the bars/restaurants/clubs that are having special promotions that night. It makes a big difference sometimes. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
Though the program was supposedly focused on language, the students were together a lot and we only spoke English to one another, so realistically there wasn't a ton of Spanish practice unless people were in homestays. |
| 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? | |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Live with a host family (preferably not a bilingual one--that was my problem), make local friends, and get away from other program participants as much as possible within the limitations of your program. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| 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? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Most of the shopping and worrying I did ahead of time was unnecessary. |
