Experience of a Lifetime: Learning Culture, Yourself, and the World Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

It's obviously a well-known, prestigious program and most of the students there were from excellent universities (many of them Ivy League schools). However, I'm not sure if it was my placement or what (they placed us into different classes for each subject based on our level) but I was by far the most motivated/dedicated student as well as the one with the best Spanish. This made the classes frustrating because often no one would participate and I felt I had to do so more than necessary. There was one instructor (one of my two for literature) who was extremely punitive and petty. He spent much time berating the class and not much time actually teaching. He didn't seem to care if we were with him or understood, rather, he would just shout quickly in Spanish and get upset when no one answered his questions. Worst class I've ever taken. Also, there was way too much work outside of class. By the time I got home from my one-hour commute standing on a bus, I had little time to work. There was too much reading assigned. They should have valued quality over quantity-- if they had focused on specific sections and gone beyond literal meaning, that would have prompted greater understanding. I mentioned my issues overall (especially with the lack of motivation among other students) and nothing was done and I wasn't contacted by a director until the end of the program when it was way too late. I don't feel like I learned as much as I could have. However, this program was clearly more academically focused than that of most people I know who have gone abroad.

On-site administration of your program

Very professional and well-organized.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Loved my host "mom" (she's only eight years older than I am...). It was difficult living with only one person at times because she didn't understand my need for space and solitude sometimes. Also, she was extremely undeserved and didn't have the money to have fruits and vegetables all the time as my medical condition requires. I ended up eating a lot of carbs and food that causes reactions with me. If someone has a medical condition that requires fresh food (which is more expensive often) they should be placed with a well-off family, not a poor, single lady who never eats freshly.

Wonderful! Absolutely loved the wine, milenesa, empanadas, and everything. Obviously, I was limited in what I could eat, but I still was able to try and enjoy many things.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I felt very integrated. However, because of the time spent with other American students during class and on excursions, these weren't necessarily times of immersion. Also, many of them spoke English outside of class.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

They were great about my medical condition, extremely considerate and helpful.

Obviously, it's a large city with crime like any other, but I felt safe, especially because I didn't act like a stupid American tourist.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

I'm an accounting student. I also am extremely frugal. I made a very accommodating budget based on the figures given to me by the program (about $200 leeway on top of their projections). Those figures were COMPLETE BULLSHIT and completely screwed me over. I had to borrow $500 from my parents.

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

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• Host Family

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• Host Family

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• Americans

• Organized excursions
• Free week at the end for travel

• Class load/experience
• Communication with directors
• Delegation into classes

The Academic or Linguist