Life Changing Experience Past Review
By Emily Wanous (Western Oregon University) - abroad from 01/06/2017 to 05/08/2017 with
CISabroad (Center for International Studies): Cusco - Semester in Cusco
I gained a better understanding of how similar individuals of the world are--it does not matter what culture you come from.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I learned so much. It was great being able to learn about something and then visit that location. It was a much more hands on education. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
I felt very safe at all times because there was always people from CISAbroad within the region. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I stayed with a host family and it was amazing. |
| * Food: |
The food was the BEST food I had ever had in my life! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Since living there for months, I felt I could fully immerse myself into the culture. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
As I did not have to go to the doctors while abroad, my friend--who was also part of the CISAbroad program--got sick from a meal she ate and the clinic helped her so much. |
| * Safety: |
As it is a developing country, safety was something I always had to worry about, but since I was smart about it--it was all okay. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
My time abroad in Cusco, Peru was absolutely life changing. I learned so much about the culture and myself. I grew as a woman and I cannot be more thankful for the experiences I had abroad. My program was through CISabroad. CISabroad was an absolutely amazing provider. I felt safe knowing they had an onsite director in the city I lived for four months. I felt secure about the insurance that was provided within the program cost, so when I got sick I knew I could go to a local clinic. CISabroad offered three trips, including a trip to Machu Picchu, within the program price, thus I did not have to do a lot of personal planning for those three trips. I really enjoy that CISabroad offers an alumni program afterwards, where alumni can get paid for doing activities. The program has allowed me to better understand the workings of study abroad programs. The culture shock was definitely a thing. In Cusco, you cannot drink out of the tap water, thus I had to become accustomed to paying for water all of the time. Luckily, water was very inexpensive. The way of life was much more different than in the United States and it took me a couple of months to get used to it, nevertheless, once I became accustomed to it, I felt I was at home. Some of my greatest memories while abroad was when I spent time with fellow CISabroad students and our program site director. We went out to dinner and talked about our experiences, concerns, and needs. Overall, this program was an amazing experience for me and I know that for many others, it was a great opportunity as well. I highly recommend this program to anyone who is searching for adventure, learning, and growth!! |
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) |
I went on a lot of trips, so my finances were a bit more expensive. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $200 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | If you are at home with a family, eat there and do not eat out as much. |
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 |
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| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | SPANISH 203 |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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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? | My study abroad office at WOU were very helpful with necessary knowledge before I left, thus I felt I did not have anything I wish I had known beforehand. |
Reasons For Studying Abroad
| To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you. |
The Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
