A New Beginning Past Review
By A student (Biology/Environmental Studies, Trinity University) - abroad from 01/04/2012 to 05/04/2012 with
IES Abroad: Galápagos Islands Direct Enrollment - GAIAS
I learned that this world is an incredible, scary, challenging, beautiful, complex place. That people are good at heart. I learned many things about myself which I intend to keep tucked carefully away, in a safe place where I shall always remember them. I learned the beginnings of a whole new language, and began to understand how people in a completely different country live their lives, day-to-day. It was absolutely worthwhile. I came to know what I really value and appreciate in life, and how simplicity is the way to live for me. Ecuador has become a part of me, an essential part that will never be forgotten.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Classes were certainly not as challenging as those at my home University. On the other hand, the learning style and class settings were both very different. We weren't glued to textbooks; quite the contrary, we spent much time outside, evaluating our surroundings. I particularly enjoyed the multiple field trips which were embedded into our class. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
In my case, the program was a little unusual. Essentially I was involved with two sets of administration: one in Quito, Ecuador, and one in the Galapagos. I was not all that thrilled initially with the one in Quito. Things seemed disorganized and we found out important information shortly before it was needed - in other words, it was hard to plan. However, part of this is Ecuadorian culture: there is no rush, nor is there a big need to get things accomplished in our "American" time scale. I did appreciate how all the staff were friendly. The administration in Quito was comprised mostly of Ecuadorians, which was cool. In the Galapagos, our main administrator was helpful. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I enjoyed my housing much more in the Galapagos than in Quito. In fact, I loved my host parents very much. They became more like friends or siblings to me rather than parents, mostly because they were younger - close to my age. They were patient, kind, thoughtful and helped me improve my Spanish skills. Their food was tasty and they were just wonderful. |
| * Food: |
Food in the Galapagos is simply limited. Everything - everything everything - has to be imported, so right away you come to the realization that it's not easy to get food you expect. Lots of things are limited in the Galapagos; I think anyone who is considering living there should take note of that. I wasn't sure what to expect and was certainly not told about these things before leaving, but it was all part of the experience. It's simply the way they live. The food is not exactly vegetarian-friendly, but vegetarians didn't have too much trouble. I'm not a vegetarian but some of my close friends were, and they rarely had major problems. Personally I feel that, in any country, you should eat whatever they eat. The food, even in the Galapagos, is a huge part of the culture. In any case, food was very, very different from the food I've grown accustomed to. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Most of my integration stemmed from living with a local family. I'm very glad I did. There are things I learned about myself and about other people I might never have learned otherwise. It was neat to become part of a culture that speaks a whole other language. On the islands, very few locals spoke English; it really challenged me to learn Spanish. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Thankfully I had no major health issues; however, some of my peers did. It seemed that the health facilities on the Galapagos Islands were not exactly first-class. In fact, in the most trying situations they must send you back to mainland Ecuador; they simply do not have many resources at their disposal on the islands. However, if you take care of yourself and drink plenty of (bottled) water, most of the time you'll be okay. I know our administrator for the Galapagos took care of problems quite well. She'd go with students to the hospital (there was no "doctor's office") if ever they felt poorly. |
| * Safety: |
The Galapagos is quite safe, in most circumstances. Still, if you're ever a foreigner, no matter where you are, I've learned that you need to be careful. Be mindful of where you are going, who is around you and what you might come across. Particularly at night, I felt on my guard. A few incidents happened with some of the girls in my group. I'm not sure of the exact circumstances surrounding these incidents, but things happened to make me feel uncomfortable walking alone at night. |
| 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) |
This really depends on how much you're willing to splurge. I was careful to create and maintain a spreadsheet documenting what I bought and how much each item cost. The mostly costly thing for me was food. We had to buy lunch every day and dinner once a week out of our own pockets. Still, prices weren't too bad and if you're careful, you can get by fairly easily. |
| * 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? | $40 - $50 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Keep track of where your money goes. It truly doesn't take that much effort. If you keep some sort of record, it will really help you see where money is going. Don't be afraid to buy things, but show moderation. |
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 |
All of my classes were taught in English. The program in the Galapagos didn't directly encourage us to learn the language, and I was disappointed by the lack of a Spanish class offered by the program. Hopefully they will change that in the future. However, that certainly doesn't mean you can't pursue it yourself with your host family. Professors of our classes would also encourage us to learn. Even a few words or short, simple sentences can start you off well. |
| 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? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | I'm minoring in ancient Latin at my home university; I've never taken a Spanish class before this program. Now I feel that I can have basic conversation in Spanish. |
| 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? | Don't be afraid to do it, and don't let people intimidate you. Just try!! Trying is truly 95% of it. I started off thinking, "I'm just going to use what I know." and it really helped me a lot. Don't worry about looking foolish or incompetent. People will respect you in the long run - but more than that, you will respect and be proud of yourself. Trust me: people really don't think all that much about the mistakes you make in the language. Also: be observant. Listen and look at signs around you; at the television; on radio ads; on the boxes of food items at the grocery store; even receipts. Immerse yourself fully. It truly is an amazing thing to do. I can't tell you how much it teaches you. It frustrated me a little because some of my closest friends knew Spanish quite well, yet they were very timid to speak to locals. In fact, most of the time I (who spoke very little Spanish) would be the first to step up and speak it. Still, I'm glad I challenged myself in this way. I learned so much more and became much more confident. |
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? | That the language course promised wasn't completely offered! Also, keep an open mind as much as you possibly can, for as long as you can. Speak Spanish constantly. |
