I'll be heading back before I know it! Past Review
By A student (Indiana University - Bloomington) - abroad from 01/07/2019 to 05/22/2019 with
IES Abroad: Quito - IES Abroad in Quito
My Spanish skills (speaking, writing, reading and listening) all improved phenomenally! I now consider myself fluent. My public speaking skills and self confidence soared as well.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I really enjoyed the classes I took. A couple of them were a good challenge, but overall the academic rigor was easier than that of my home university classes. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The IES team was super helpful once abroad, but sometimes scheduling was confusing because there were some last-minute changes - nothing major. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I loved my host family. We got along very well, but I did feel a little uncomfortable sometimes in my host mom's apartment because it felt more like a hotel than a home. |
| * Food: |
A lot of the food offered on a daily basis tastes great, especially the soups and fruit options! I, however, craved vegetables throughout the semester and wanted some healthier options. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I didn't feel very immersed in the culture by going to school in the IES office building, but I spent a lot of time with my host family and found more than sufficient opportunities to learn more about the culture through them and their friends. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I did get very sick from accidentally swallowing dirty river water while white water rafting, which led me to the hospital. Once I got there, however, I felt very secure in the environment. My host family and IES professors/administrators were very worried about me, clearly cared about my health and made sure I felt comfortable coming back to school soon after my hospitalization. The doctors seemed very knowledgeable as well. |
| * Safety: |
I never once felt unsafe walking through the city or taking the buses. People often warn you about pickpockets, especially in crowded buses. I am sure they exist, but as long as you take precautions (backpacks on front of your body, all zipped up) and don't flaunt your wealth, you should be fine! |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
This was the perfect mixture of allowing me to feel safe and comfortable in a foreign environment (taking classes with other US students) while also forcing me outside of my comfort zone to speak Spanish all the time. |
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) |
Personal expenses were very low. I really only spent money on travel outside of the program. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Under $30 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Don't feel pressured to go out all the time. There are plenty of free options, particularly in terms of exploring parks and the city. |
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? | Intermediate |
| 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? | 400 hispanic linguistics, 280 grammar class |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | 10+ |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | I highly recommend watching movies/tv shows and listening to music ONLY in the foreign language. It works wonders! |
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? | If you cannot get your visa beforehand, you can bring all of the documents required for the visa with you and finish the process abroad! No need to stress. |
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. |
