Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

It was the best half year of my life. Past Review

By (Elementary Education And Spanish, Trinity University) - abroad from 01/12/2014 to 05/25/2014 with

IES Abroad: Quito - IES Abroad in Quito

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
How to expand my horizons and take risks.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

They were awesome

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

I was never hungry. Host family fed me three bi meals a day.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I took most if my classes with other Americans but had a lot interaction with locals outside of school. My best friend was Ecuadorian

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I went to hospital twice, once with my host family and again with one of the staff. The first time it was slow and the medicine wasn't very effective. However the second time I went, it was quick and the problem was resolved quickly. Almost every doctor or nurse I met was every bit as experienced as doctors and nurses in the us. However there is definitely a language barrier if your Spanish isn't great. I was able to get by very easily.

* Safety:

You really just have to use common sense. Don't walk home alone at night especially if you are a girl. A couple people in my program got robbed but they were walking alone after dark. I never had an issue and the neighborhood where I lived was very safe.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

Finances

* 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)

Everything was very cheap.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? About 100 unless I traveled. If I traveled I down 200. However I knew some people I knew could easily live off 50 a week.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Always try and eat at home, saves tons of money. By drinks at cheap bars if you like to go out. Don't buy drinks at popular clubs. If you want to travel, don't order a hostel ahead of time. You can always haggle with owners when you get to the town you are traveling. Never pay over ten dollars a night. Sometimes you can get a quality hostel for 6 dollars a night.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

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? Advanced
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? Advanced grammar
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 host family and make local friends.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
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?
  • Trip to amazon
  • Professors at the Ies center
  • Awesome home stay,
* What could be improved?
  • Nothing
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? How friendly people in Ecuador are

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 Adventurer
The 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.