I would encourage anyone to travel and expand their horizons of the world! Past Review
By A student (Spanish Language, Literature, Eastern Illinois University) - abroad from 05/12/2015 to 06/11/2016 with
Eastern Illinois University (EIU): Cordoba - Summer in Argentina
My experience was definitely worth while it showed me to appreciate other cultures and really helped me learn about myself and find a new passion for travel. At first I was skeptical about going abroad and being so far away from my family and what I was comfortable with. However once I was abroad I realized all the different places I would love to experience and enjoy and how much of the world there is still left for me to discover.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The professors were very accommodating, they encouraged us to speak Spanish but also spoke fluent English when we needed help. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The faculty were always readily available for tips and information on where we should visit on our time off and ready to help us if we had any questions or necessities while abroad. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Our host family was very easy going and approachable. |
| * Food: |
It did take some time to get accustomed to the food however the faculty and our host family had great recommendations for places we could eat. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
It was very easy to feel integrated into the culture once I was there. People were very welcoming to foreigners and just walking the streets of the city you could see all the social and cultural norms which differed from the States. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I never had any health care concerns show up nor did I need any vaccines for this trip. |
| * Safety: |
Of course being abroad one is usually extra cautions with their belongings and their own safety. However when I was abroad I felt that I was just as safe there as I was in my hometown. Danger can happen anywhere and one always has to be alert but I never did encounter any safety incidents where I felt that I was in danger. For the most part people were approachable and I was comfortable in the city. |
| 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) |
Most of the trip was included except for airfare and spending money. However if you budget before the trip and keep track of what you are spending on a weekly basis it is easy to live off of a budget. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $100 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | I would put a set amount of money aside each week to save as spending cash before my trip. |
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? | Advanced |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Fluent |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | 3050 |
| 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? | Be sure to practice with your host family if you have one. Sometimes you run into people who speak English and they assume you want them to speak to you in your native language however to have the best experience I would practice as much as I could abroad. |
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? | 0 |
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? | I wish I would have known how easy it is to travel and what a worth while experience it would be. |
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 Outright UrbaniteA social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country. |
