Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

My semester abroad with Service Learning was one of the most academically challenging semesters I have had since attending Clark. There was a crucial connection made between academic study and field work and we all definitely gained invaluable hands on training and experience in community development. We worked hard, played hard, and learned a ton.

On-site administration of your program

Our program directors designed our trips, activities, and assignments in a way that supported local institutions, gave back to the communities we were working in, and strengthened our understandings of Dominican culture. We did hit a few speed bumps because we only had three students in our group, but the program was awesome.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Our housing community was relatively safe and all our needs were met. However, I am only going to rank my home-stay a four, because I did not feel as though I was a part of my family.

All food was local and I ate what my family ate. The Dominican diet is always very difficult for people not used to rice and beans all the time, but we made do. It was authentic and thats what counts.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

With all our work, the three of us seldom had time to go out and socialize during the week. However, when we did make it out, we felt safe and supported in case of emergency. All the trips included in our program showed us the non-tourist side of the Dominican and we definitely had fun.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I never had any health issues, but one of the other students was vegetarian and his needs were always met. I also always felt as safe as I do here in Worcester. Big cities are big cities and there's always a possibility of danger no matter what country you're in.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Our classes were taught in coloquial spanish, our homework and capstone was done in spanish, and our field assignments required routine interaction with locals where language skills were a must. I went from barely conversational to very comfortable speaking at local speeds with people I had just met. Not many study abroad programs, to my knowledge, require and foster second-language learning to this extent.