A very well executed and unforgettable program Past Review
By A student (Environmental Studies, Brandeis University) - abroad from 08/10/2018 to 12/08/2018 with
IES Abroad: Galápagos Islands Direct Enrollment - GAIAS
New Spanish skills, lifelong friends, incomparable experiences, checks off my bucket list, and so much more. It was worth every penny.
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. |
My classes felt adequately challenging but with a workload adjusted to my location. My professors were living at our university and were consistently available. Many I am still in touch with and feel deeply inspired by. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
I think the program was limited by the lack of wifi resources and amount of host families available but were amazing considering what they had at their disposal |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I didn't click with one of my host families but always got what I needed |
| * Food: |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
It's difficult for local students to integrate with the local culture, but the university is working to make the international students feel more like a part of the university and help them connect to local students. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Both Cumbaya and Galapagos were extremely safe, I always felt comfortable in my host home |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
IES GAIAS opened my eyes to a world completely different than the one I grew up in and gave me the tools to expand my learning and consciousness |
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) |
Unless you decide to do dives and tours on your own time, it is typically 30-40 dollars a week to get meals and the occasional drink. However, imported goods in Galapagos are extremely expensive. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 30-40 dollars a week on food plus 100-200 dollars per dive excursion |
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? | Beginner |
| 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 20 (level 2) |
| 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? | talk to your host family, local students, and people in your community! |
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? | that I didn't need to bring half of what I did |
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.' |
