a semester in the country that has it all Past Review
By A student (Brandeis University) - abroad from 01/05/2018 to 05/05/2018 with
IES Abroad: Galápagos Islands Direct Enrollment - GAIAS
I can't express in words how much I learned from my abroad experience, both academically and culturally. But, I would say that the most important thing I learned is to It was absolutely worthwhile!
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. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Living in a host family can be difficult at times, but it is absolutely worth it to immerse yourself in the culture! |
| * Food: |
Galápagos is definitely limited when it comes to food choices, because most of the food comes in by boat from the mainland. Be prepared to eat a lot of good food, but also to rarely see vegetables. |
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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: |
Quito can be a bit dangerous at times, but Cumbayá (where the university is and where host families are) is perfectly safe! San Cristóbal Island is also really safe. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
Ecuador has everything you could ever ask for - cities, mountains, islands, jungle, forests, etc. Every day is an adventure, and there's always more to see. |
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) |
Being fed breakfast and dinner by host families is great! But, every lunch is on your own, and dinners on weekends can get expensive. |
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? | Advanced |
| 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? | Speak with your host family!!! |
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? | Be flexible! A lot of things here, especially logistics, don't work the same way as they do in the U.S. Ecuadorian/Island time (lateness) is definitely a thing - be flexible! |
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 Avid AdventurerThe wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Tropical Ecology |
| Course Department: | |
| Instructor: | Esteban Suarez |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | Esteban is amazing! He's engaging, smart, and extremely kind. Plus, the class takes field trips to the Amazon, cloud forest, and páramo, which are all incredible. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
