An incredible experience spending time with the people and plants of Ecuador September 15, 2023
By A student (Environmental Studies, Brandeis University) - abroad from 06/03/2023 to 07/22/2023 with
IES Abroad: Quito - IES Abroad in Quito
It was absolutely worthwhile -- I learned to guide my own experiences and practice trying new things in a completely new environment.
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. |
The field trips in relation to the classes were with the professors as well as tour guides, making them super informative while also fun. |
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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? |
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| * Food: |
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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? |
Healthcare was easily accessible at the mall connected to the university. It was easy to get a walk-in appointment. My only drawback is I went for a sore throat, and at the appt. the Dr. did not take any strep/flu/covid tests, but instead took a picture of the back of my throat to show me and diagnosed me with a standard cold. He was probably right, but I'm used to precautionary tests being taken at home. I was also prescribed high strength ibuprofen and a decongestant at the appt., which I was told I "must" take by the doctor. It felt a bit misleading because I didn't have a fever or any congestion, which I would expect these to treat. And being experienced with the OTC versions of these meds, I thought it was a bit off-base to say that I needed to take them in order to get better. This also could have been a translation issue or cultural misunderstanding, as I chose to go by myself to the appt. At one point, our abroad group had multiple individuals sick, and so IES arranged for a doctor to come to the classroom and check up on all of us before our weekend away trip, which was a quick and easy experience. |
| * Safety: |
We were cautious in public with holding our phones in our hands and putting our bags on our fronts. However, no one in our group experienced any pick-pocketing, and I generally felt quite safe walking around. I'm a female-presenting student, and I typically walked with others when I could, avoiding walking at night in certain parts of the city or alone. |
| 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) |
My experience was that my host family made all my meals, including packing a lunch for me to bring to school if I requested. Often our group would go out for food together for fun, and the food was relatively cheap (maybe ~10 for lunch, ~15 for dinner). |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | ~$100-150, including souveniers and outings (ex. movies, dinners, drinks) |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | If you can eat at home, do! And when going out, consider how much you are willing to spend for the day/ in the context of the week. It can be easy especially at the beginning of the program to want to buy/try everything, but remember there will be more cool things to buy/experience later in the trip and you'll have plenty of time to do so. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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? | I wish I knew that I would have time to go out with friends and should pack some casual/fun clothes. |
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 Academic or LinguistYou went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you! |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Ecuadorian Ecosystems |
| Course Department: | ENVS |
| Instructor: | Dr. Gonzalo Rivas-Torres |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | Prof. Rivas-Torres is extremely well-versed in the subject and made class interesting and fun. The field trips were incredible as well. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
