USFQ is very compatible to U.S. liberal arts schools Past Review
By Sarah C (sociology major, spanish and dance minors, Barnard College) for
IES Abroad: Quito - IES Abroad in Quito
Incredibly. see above answers this form is to long
Personal Information
| The term and year this program took place: | Spring 2009 |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
See above comments. USFQ is a real, and prestigious university. The workload may be slightly less than a university like barnard but it is equally intellectually stimulating. i still had finals and papers. But like at any university it depends on your needs and course choices. I wanted challenging classes and ones that would serve to fulfill multiple requirements at home. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Staff in Quito are wonderful they want to be your family. They even helped me out once i was the program had ended and I stayed extra and needed a visa extension. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Nice well kept and very claen apartment with a retired couple living in north quito. this is an area where everybody seems to mind their own business, keep mulitple locks on their door and mind appearances. Wasn't really me, but was nice, clean , very safe and protected. Good place to come home to but not a place to get to know Quito. <br /><br /> see above or contact me for more |
| * Food: |
loved it so many delicious soups and juices. host family living is owrht it for the amount of authentic food you get! at least in my family... |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Again up to you but Quito and Ecuadorians in general like to party. The best benefits of making friends though is not getting booze buddies but meeting their families and really getting to see regular ecuadorian family life. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
NY is much much safer than Quito so if you are scared of big cities quito will seem intimidating. Almost everybody gets robbed, usually non-violently. Its a fact of life in Quito. you learn to be smart and safe and then you don't have any problems. I actually made it through all 5 months of the program without a single incident bnut then when i felt most confident in my two months living independently in Quito I was pick-pocketed(non-violently, both times without me even knowing it) twice. Go in groups, speak spanish, don't take undue risks and watch out after dark and you'll be ok. healthcare is so easy- prescription meds are available just be talking to the farmacist. there is a clinic at san pancho. |
| 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) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | I spent about the equivalent of my nYc budget but less on food and more on travel, going out, other expenses that were incurred as a result of me wanting to really enjoy the experience while i was there. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | none |
Language
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Advanced |
| Language acquisition improvement? |
I came already proficient really just looking to improve spoken confidence and reach fluency. I definetly improved my accent and use of colloquial expressions. By the end of the program when i was working with indigenous students in the jungle (there first language was not spanish) people sometimes thought i was from Quito. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Speak spanish. if you want to just travel go on another program- this is for people who care about really getting to know a place and aren't afraid to do some real schoolwork during the semester. IES will be what you make it. you can stay with all your americans and go out every night and not learn anything but have a 5 month vacation or you can appreciate every moment as a new experience- from going to the grocery store with your host family to spending a lazy saturday watching a pirated dvd in your friends house with his high school buddies. IES is not a handholding program but its great for students who already know what they want. |
